


Where the Flowers Bloom

by SayaTsukihime



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood Drinking, Canon Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Multi, Not Beta Read, Reincarnation, Sibling Bonding, Slow Burn, Some Humor, Undecided Relationship(s), Vampires, oc-insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 29,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26577892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SayaTsukihime/pseuds/SayaTsukihime
Summary: Kaname freed not only Shizuka from her cage that day. A woman from the 21st century was unlucky enough to be reborn as her daughter, and she wasn't particularly enthused by the idea of letting her life play out according to a formerly fictional series. OC-Insert as Ridō and Shizuka's daughter.(Crossposted on fanfiction.net)
Relationships: Cross Yuuki/Kiryuu Zero, Cross Yuuki/Kuran Kaname, Ichijou Takuma/Original Female Character(s), Kuran Kaname/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 67
Kudos: 161
Collections: Reincarnation and Transmigration





	1. Gilded Cage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it was requested by a reviewer, I'm crossposting WtFB on this platform :D I planned to do that eventually anyway.
> 
> I've been a fan of the Vampire Knight series ever since I watched the anime back in 2008 when Vampire Knight Guilty aired (that was more than eleven years ago... holy crap). I've had this story idea for almost as long and decided to finally write it down. 
> 
> Constructive criticism is welcome – I've only recently started to write my stories down, so I'm not that experienced as a writer yet. While I have already written an outline for the chapters with a certain plot and character interactions/relationships in mind, I can still add ideas or scenarios if I like them and they fit into the planned plot and canon universe :)
> 
> I hope you enjoy the first chapter even though it is more of a prologue than an actual chapter!

The ancestor of the Kuran family strolled pensively through the traditional Japanese manor, that was even at the beginning of autumn permeated by the scent of cherry blossoms. He had just freed Hiō Shizuka from the cage she had been confined to ever since birth – her quarters had been enchanted with anti-vampire magic by Hunters and even a Pureblood couldn't easily break through from the inside.

Now the chess pieces in this unforgivable game were on the move – she would surely take her revenge on the Kiryū family for killing her ex-human lover – but there was one small, unforeseen possible obstacle. Naturally, he had to see it with his own eyes and contemplate what to do with it.

Shizuka had hesitated for a moment when she stepped out of the cage and had glanced into another direction of the mansion, where Kaname could sense another non-dormant Pureblood. It was barely more than a child.

"She is a peaceful, gentle child unlike her father... or me for that matter," the Hiō princess had said wryly as she looked down at the Kuran in the form of a fifteen-year-old teen.

"You won't take her with you?" he had asked, guessing that Shizuka was talking about her daughter, whom he hadn't even known about.

"No, she is not suited for revenge." A faraway look had entered Shizuka's eyes while she was walking around him, the chime of a bell accompanying her movement. "Take her with you before the Council makes her their vampire slave supplier or that **beast** comes for her again."

"..."

After having uttered these words, she had left the Hiō compound for good, throwing Kaname one last meaningful look.

The ancient Pureblood's curiosity had been awoken and he found his way to the other caged vampire.

Behind wooden bars sliding doors with cherry blossoms painted on them prevented him from getting a look at the occupant of these quarters. But it was nothing that couldn't be solved with a little telekinesis on his part.

By an invisible power the doors slid open on his command – the spell didn't prevent vampire powers from being used inside the cage, and only hindered a vampire from breaking out of it.

Moonlight flooded the otherwise lightless room that appeared to be a living room, though it was as bright for a vampire's eyes as midday for a humans'.

Kaname spotted dark brown wooden furniture on tatami mats; a low table with detailed drawings of landscapes, flowers, trees and birds scattered over it, some small shelves that almost burst over with books, and one sofa with blue cushioning, a flute carelessly lying on it.

Yet, the other Pureblood was still hidden from his sight. Without further ado, Kaname opened the cage door and entered it, having no doubts that he would be able to leave it again because he possessed the key. Also, by using his Pureblood abilities, he had manipulated the servants to stay in their own quarters for some more time.

His senses led him to a corner of the room, where a small huddled figure sat, the legs pulled to their chest, and the arms curled around them. It was a very human, childlike pose, very unusual for a Pureblood that had been taught etiquette and how to conduct oneself from early childhood.

But her scent and the presence he sensed were clearly not that of a human child, though she lacked the scent of blood that was typical for grown vampires, which meant that her thirst for blood hadn't awakened yet. He could also detect a hint of sunlight in her scent that only humans possessed.

The girl had his full attention now.

Her face was buried into the fabric of her light blue kimono with a butterfly pattern, and her silky, silvery-white hair, that curled slightly at the ends, covered the rest of what was visible of her skin. She had to know that he was standing right in front of her – an unknown Pureblood and possible threat, and yet she didn't react to it.

"Who are you?" Kaname broke the silence by asking a question he already knew the answer to.

For some time he had to wonder if the girl would answer him at all, but then a soft but clear voice finally reached his ears.

"...Hiō Koharu, Hiō Shizuka's daughter. But you already knew that, didn't you? Who are **you**?" she asked in turn, slowly lifting her head to meet his gaze.

The thirteen-year-old possessed the ethereal beauty that was typical for Purebloods, but instead of a well-crafted mask that contained all emotions, Kaname could read the feelings displayed on her face like an open book.

Sorrow, hurt, hints of fear and hope, and a deep loneliness – a feeling he knew well himself – shone in eyes of a familiar cobalt blue hue he had come to associate with a certain accursed relative of his. Despite the wrong colour scheme Koharu had inherited from her father Ridō and mother Shizuka, she took undoubtedly after her aunt Juri... resembled Yūki as a consequence, though she was older than her.

Kaname was taken aback for a second, even if it didn't show on his face.

"Why are you crying?" he asked the younger Pureblood, watching as tears silently trailed down her cheeks, seemingly uncaring that the ancestor in teen-form saw them.

It was a sacrilege for a Pureblood to show someone their vulnerable side; many believed they didn't even have one.

Once more he was surprised by the free way the girl expressed herself, that made him think of Yūki, and perhaps even slightly envious because he couldn't do the same.

She broke eye contact with him then and stared down at the ground. "I've been... abandoned... for the second time," she whispered solemnly. "Why was I even granted this life if nobody wants me here?" she directed the despondent inquiry at him, as if he could give her a sufficient answer.

"I cannot give you an answer to your question. You will have to search for it yourself," Kaname said after giving it some thought. "I doubt that you will find it in this cage."

He felt pity towards the young Pureblood for even asking such questions, and contemplated what to do with her. If he should comply with Shizuka's request.

The ancestor suspected that if she stayed here, she would truly become the Vampire Council's puppet in time and give them an army of human-turned-vampire slaves whenever they were in need for them. It was an unnecessary headache that he could prevent from occurring if he intervened here and let her at least escape.

Taking the young Pureblood's life was another option. However, killing his relative now when she was just a child simply because she was Ridō's daughter and had the potential to become a nuisance in the future was a vile, unsightly thing to do, that only the likes of Ridō would consider.

And would Yūki forgive him if she one day found out that he had killed her cousin? Although, if it was for Yūki's safety, Kaname was willing to do the most despicable things. He'd already put such a plot into motion by freeing Shizuka from her cage, so she could exact her revenge on the Kiryū family.

"...If I leave this place, I won't have anywhere to stay," Koharu pointed out.

Kaname didn't think that he would ever have to convince someone to escape from a prison, but here he was. Still, he understood the girl's reluctance to leave behind the only home she had ever known.

"Are you fine with staying in this cage of yours forever then? Is there truly nothing out there that you want?" he gave her one last incentive.

The Pureblood girl sank her head again, her gaze travelling slowly to a pencil drawing that laid on the floor. It was the drawing of a human family – a father, mother and two sisters. All of them were smiling, clearly at ease around each other. Kaname wondered where Koharu had seen them.

"Family... I would like to have a family," she said softly.

 _'Of all the things to ask for... It has to be one of the things that is the hardest to obtain,'_ Kaname thought, half-amused but also slightly saddened by the innocent, sweet wish.

Just like Koharu yearned for a family, people that would unconditionally accept and love her and stay by her side, he too yearned for the only person that brought a light into the darkness of his existence.

"The place where I currently reside is not that much different from the Hiō residence, perhaps even worse in some aspects, but at the very least you won't be caged like this anymore. And while I can't give you the family you desire, I may be able to offer you companionship as your relative if you want it," he made a proposition, both rationally calculated and emotionally influenced.

"The choice whether you wish to come with me or continue to stay here in this prison is yours."

He held out a hand for the girl to take if she chose so. For his plans, he had stolen away her only family. This was what he could offer in return. Maybe heeding Shizuka's request and taking the girl with him was more an attempt to ease his own conscience than anything else.

The young Pureblood seemed to be mulling over his words and his offer, and glanced once more at the drawing of the human family before her cobalt blue eyes met his garnet ones with determination.

Tentatively, Koharu reached for Kaname's outstretched hand, and he helped her carefully up onto her feet. She had accepted his offer.

Unbeknownst to the Kuran ancestor there was more to the Pureblood girl than met the eye and she wasn't quite the child she appeared to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> Reviews and comments are always welcome!


	2. The Ichijō Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname freed not only Shizuka from her cage that day. A woman from the 21st century was unlucky enough to be reborn as her daughter, and she wasn't particularly enthused by the idea of letting her life play out according to a formerly fictional series. OC-Insert as Ridō and Shizuka's daughter.

Once more Koharu glanced at the person that was seated next to her on the backseat of the limousine they'd gotten into, marvelling at the fact that this was truly Kuran Kaname.

Even more unbelievable than that was the fact that he'd gone so far as to offer her to stay with him instead of disposing of her right away. That had been a possibility she'd been fretting about ever since she'd begun to remember her past life and... _Vampire Knight_.

Kaname appeared to be about two years older than her physically, but she knew that he was the oldest person she'd ever met. Or would ever meet. The mere thought was daunting. She couldn't begin to imagine what it was like to live that long and always tried her best not to mull over the fact that her body was now technically immortal, too.

Even though she had clung onto the hope she had from a story and a life long gone that she might be freed when time the Ancestor came to release Shizuka, she'd never been certain of it or Kaname's reaction to her. Nor did she know what she would do if she actually got out of the cage she'd called her home and had been confined to for all her life as Koharu.

Run away from the Hiō compound, the Vampire Council, the rest of vampirekind, and the Hunter Association? Try to live somewhere among humans until her thirst for blood awoke or they got suspicious that she didn't age like them, or on the streets if she couldn't manage that? Try to change the plot herself somehow despite the fact that she neither could nor wanted to fight? Or should she stay in hiding until **that beast** was dead?

Everything seemed like a stretch to her; she just wasn't the confrontational or overly courageous type of person, even if she could stand up for herself and others if she really wanted or needed to. She preferred peace and quiet and a comfortable and safe living space. That didn't mean that Koharu liked being confined to a cage, though.

While the former human woman had long since accepted that she'd been reborn in the world of _Vampire Knight_ as the unfortunate daughter of Hiō Shizuka and Kuran Ridō of all people, as a Pureblood _vampire_ , that didn't mean that she liked any of it. She had despaired over her new life situation at first when she remembered her past life and the story she was now part of, but was able to somewhat make her peace with it in the past few years. Not that she had much of a choice anyway.

Often she'd wondered why she had been granted this second life, that was in a lot of ways even more miserable than how her former life had ended. When she'd passed that stage of wallowing in self-pity, she'd begun to try and enjoy her restricted new life as best as possible even though she remembered what freedom and life as a human was like now. She didn't know how long she would live after all and despite everything, she very much liked being alive.

Even a Pureblood could die, though it was not through conventional methods, and considering who her parents were, it wasn't that unlikely that she would get caught up in their schemes and ended up dead as a result... if Kaname didn't do the deed first.

She'd been aware that Shizuka had abandoned her ever since her birth and had never personally seen the woman since then either, just through the eyes of her familiar when Koharu had grown curious. As such, it came as a surprise to her that she'd reacted so strongly to Shizuka abandoning her again without hesitation. That it had hurt and affected her to the point that she'd been a crying, emotional mess and bemoaned her own existence once again in front of _Kaname_ of all people.

She rarely lost her composure like that, and it wasn't how she'd wanted to meet the Kuran ancestor, but what was done was done.

Did she form an attachment to the other Hiō because her presence, the knowledge that Koharu wasn't completely alone in that gilded cage, had comforted her? Was she merely affected because her fellow in misery had disappeared?

She didn't know the answer.

Now she was nervous and anxious, but also slightly excited and hopeful about what the close future would bring. It had been a spur of the moment decision to go with Kaname and, as she was calm again, she wondered if it had been a good idea at all. At least she wasn't alone in that cage now.

She'd told Kaname that what she wanted most in life was a family and that hadn't been a lie. But to be more specific, she longed for the family she had lost even though she could never have it back.

Still, she couldn't help but cling to their memory and had taken the picture she'd drawn of them with her, as well as the shinobue, the traditional Japanese transverse flute she'd learned to play. She missed her teacher and the letters she had secretely exchanged with his daughter through him.

Both of her possessions were tucked into the silver obi of her kimono and were the only things Koharu had taken with her. The only possessions of value to her.

"Is there something you'd like to ask me?" Kaname's voice broke through her train of thoughts.

It was then that she noticed that she'd been outright staring at him for the past... ten minutes? He had to think that she was ogling him, even though she had been in thoughts for most of the time. She couldn't fault anyone who was truly ogling him, though.

In person and even as a teen Kaname was breathtaking. He had luscious, chocolate brown hair, mesmerizing garnet red eyes, and elegant facial features. Some of which resembled her own, astonishingly enough.

' _Must be the incest,_ ' Koharu thought dryly to herself.

She'd been too distraught at first and too caught up in her own emotions, but now that she had the time to watch her surroundings and the person who had introduced himself as her cousin, she couldn't help but notice it.

Koharu had been surrounded by Level C vampires for all her life in the _Vampire Knight_ world – to her artistic eye they were all aesthetically pleasing – but they were no comparison to Shizuka, **the** **beast** , or the over ten thousand year old vampire in teen form sitting right in front of her.

Even if he was kind of intimidating because of his powerful presence and the knowledge of millennia hidden in his eyes, Kaname was a real heartthrob. His natural scent was pleasant as well – it was a spicy cinnamon smell that reminded her of orchids. It was almost absurd how attractive he was. The other Pureblood vampires, herself as well, were included in that sentiment.

 _'No wonder that the Day Class girls were all gaga about him and the rest of the Night Class students in the series,'_ she mused.

In Koharu's opinion vampires were like poisonous flowers; enchanting in every aspect to lure you, but get too close and you were in for a rude awakening.

"...Resemblance. I can see a resemblance," she said, and furrowed her brows, wondering how she was supposed to make small talk again as silence descended on them once more.

She didn't have a lot of practise in her prison and could count the people she'd interacted with since being reborn on one hand.

Kaname watched her with the same calm, unreadable expression he had regarded her with since meeting her a few hours ago.

"You resemble your aunt – my mother Juri," he informed her.

It was probably meant as a compliment, but for Koharu the reminder was more distressing than encouraging and filled her with nothing but dread.

 ** _"I'll return to devour you completely once you've grown up, my dear,"_** the ominous words of a certain madman echoed inside her head.

"Oh..." she clutched the fabric of her silver obi and avoided Kaname's observant gaze, turning back to the window to watch the outside world that she'd longed to see with her own eyes.

She'd heard that before but didn't particularly want to be reminded of **the beast** that had purred this sinister promise into her ear.

The rest of the five hour car ride was spent in silence aside from Kaname telling her where exactly they were going.

* * *

The Ichijō estate was huge, somewhat remote, was surrounded by forest and it was more like a castle than an English mansion. Koharu had gotten a glimpse of the Hiō estate when she left it for the first time and wondered why vampires had a thing for gigantic houses. She appreciated the design and architecture, but it had to be a pain to keep them clean.

 _'Kudos to the housekeepers,'_ she thought, knowing what it was like to clean a house from her past life though it had been nowhere near that size.

During the car ride she'd been able to get a few glimpses of smaller cities from afar as they passed them, and grinned like a child on Christmas Eve whenever she saw something that wasn't road, uncaring what Kaname would think of that because he had already seen her at her worst. To be fair, this was the first time that she had left her quarters, so everything she saw with her own eyes excited her.

They also drove by a few cars and even some carriages – according to the books she'd read, the post-apocalyptic world of _Vampire Knight_ used some other kind of fuel than fossil oils because they had long since been used up.

The technology in this world had also deteriorated in some areas, but improved in others; as far as she knew, the world had drastically changed since the climate change and the following emergence of the first vampires ten thousand years ago.

Koharu hoped that she would be able to interact more with this intriguing new world from now on.

The sun had risen two hours before they arrived at the estate, so the light of day irritated her eyes. Koharu's quarters had never allowed for sunlight to enter her rooms, because all the windows had deliberately been north-facing.

As a result, she was excited to feel the sunlight on her skin again when the driver finally pulled into the driveway and opened the door for Kaname and her. It had been too long.

The direct rays of the morning sun on her vampire eyes were a harsh, almost painful sensation. Her skin also tingled a bit as the warm rays touched it for the first time in this life.

 _'Ah, yes. Sunburn, here I come again.'_

She'd been prone to sunburns in her past life and guessed that this tendency wouldn't be different this time. Her skin was even lighter now as a vampire who'd never been exposed to sunlight before.

Yet, she couldn't help but gaze up at the bright blue autumn sky in joy. For the first time in countless years she was outside and free.

"Koharu, we have to go inside," Kaname said next to her after he had let her stare at the sky for some time, letting her momentary dream bubble burst, and she remembered where she was.

"..." She refrained from shooting him a disgruntled look, but it seemed as if he had picked up on her sentiment anyway.

Several servants in suits and maid uniforms – she was astounded that people actually wore them because her caretakers had all worn kimonos – were looking expectantly at them, though Koharu was regarded with more guarded but still polite fronts. Because she was the unknown Pureblood.

She had been free for a total of... two minutes? In any case, it was better than nothing. She turned to Kaname in silent agreement and felt the sharp stones underneath her bare feet as she walked. The other Pureblood had noted her lack of shoes when they'd left the Hiō estate, but Koharu didn't possess any to wear.

What use would shoes have to her if she was never supposed to leave her cage?

Koharu was suddenly lifted into a pair of slender but strong arms and let out a noise of surprise.

"You could hurt your feet," Kaname explained as she peered quizzically up at him while he carried her towards the front doors.

She thanked him quietly for his consideration, but this position made her feel vulnerable, embarrassed and uncomfortable because everyone was looking at them and she was at Kaname's mercy. Just because he had released her and she knew him as a character from a formerly fictional series, it didn't mean that she trusted him.

Why was Kaname being kind to her when he seemed to know whose daughter she was? And why had he offered to take her with him? Just to gain another pawn in his game? Or had her appearance, her apparent resemblance to Juri, made him sentimental?

Whatever the answer was, she was glad that she was out of the cage – she would have been a sitting duck waiting for her demise if she had stayed in it. Going with Kaname was a dangerous decision, but probably better than her other options. At his side she would have at least an idea of what was about to come.

The servants bowed and greeted them with 'Kaname-sama' and 'honourable guest', because they both didn't introduce Koharu just yet until they were inside the manor. Kaname set her carefully down on the thick, violet carpet.

The inside of the manor was as luxurious as the outside suggested – golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, vintage sofas were situated at one corner of the entrance hall and the floor consisted of polished marble. The decoration vases set on small tables and the paintings hanging on the walls were as expensive and tasteful as the rest of what Koharu could see.

Luxury wasn't new to her in this life and she had become used to it, though back at the Hiō compound everything was traditionally Japanese and not western-styled like in this manor. It made her feel slightly nostalgic, and she had the urge to draw a picture of the building. She loved the interior architecture.

The head maid and butler, as well as the chief of security came forward and welcomed Kaname back.

"This is my cousin, Koharu. Please inform Ichiō that I would like to have a talk with him," Kaname introduced her, and Koharu finally slipped on the polite, neutral mask she usually displayed around most of her own caretakers back at the Hiō residence.

For some reason she still hadn't put it on around Kaname – was there even a point to it if he had already seen her during her breakdown? Plus, she was pretty sure that he could easily see through it anyway.

She didn't particularly like to hide her true self and emotions, but it had been pounded into her head by her servants as soon as she'd been able to understand the language. As a Pureblood she wasn't supposed to show her emotions or weaknesses.

It was disturbing that they'd taught this to someone who was a child in their eyes, but it came in handy in uncertain situations like this, where she would have otherwise looked like the nervous mess she was internally.

"Of course, Kaname-sama," the butler answered before he turned to Koharu. "It is a pleasure to welcome you here in the Ichijō Residence, Kuran Koharu-sama. I'm Ishikawa Shunpachi, the head butler. Fujimoto-san will guide you to our guest quarters right away and provide you with anything you might need."

"She will stay in my company for the time being, Ishikawa-san," Kaname corrected the butler before Koharu could answer.

"As you wish, Kaname-sama."

The head maid, Fujimoto-san, led them to a drawing room. Then, tea with sweets was served for them as they got comfortable on the plush sofas in the room.

As a vampire Koharu was never quite as hungry as when she had been human, because for a vampire's survival only blood was essential – or life energy in the case of young vampires like her who didn't have their fangs yet – but they could eat normal food, too. Otherwise, she would have been famished after that five-hour car ride.

At almost 9 a.m. it was hours past the usual time Koharu went to bed, which was shortly after sunrise. Since she was nocturnal now, it was almost like midnight for a vampire, and she was getting a little tired. Her body would allow for her to stay awake for as long as she pleased without strain, but it was strange and exhausting on her mind if she did so. She also enjoyed sleeping.

It didn't help that Kaname didn't initiate a conversation and that she had no idea how to start one either. Ah, but she did have a question. She sipped once more on the chamomille tea and set the cup silently down on the plate.

She gave her ancestor, who was content with staring out of the window and into the woods, a tentative look and broke the silence. "Why did you let the servant assume that I am a Kuran?"

"The Hiō name carries a certain stigma and you _are_ half-Kuran," he replied. "Are you aware of your family history?"

Koharu knew that some Hiō – her maternal grandfather and his mother – had gone on mad rampages in the past and had been feared for their highly destructive powers even amongst other Purebloods.

She suspected that the 'insanity', as they called it, might have been caused or encouraged by either the pampered upbringing, the sadistic tendencies some of her ancestors had, that had carried over to the children or worsened because of the incest, or because they had lived for so long that they didn't give a damn about anything anymore and just did whatever they wanted to get rid of their boredom.

Considering that she had a mother with such a family history and a father who wasn't the best example of sanity either, Koharu hoped that she wouldn't end up like them simply due to her genes. For now she still felt like herself, even now as a vampire, and had thankfully no urge to maim, kill, or torture someone yet.

_'I hope it stays that way.'_

She nodded in confirmation. Before she could say anything, the door was thrown open and a teen around Kaname's age or about a year younger appearance-wise stormed in.

"Kaname, you're back!" the tall boy with ash blond hair and forest green eyes greeted him warmly. "Where..." he grew silent as he spotted Koharu, his eyes growing a little wider.

Koharu knew that he could tell from her scent and presence that she was a Pureblood vampire, just like she could tell from his that he was an Aristocrat, the second Level B vampire she had met so far.

"Ah... it looks like you've really brought a guest over." The blond turned to the female Pureblood and bowed to her with a polite yet friendly smile on his lips. "Good evening! I'm Ichijō Takuma. May I know your name, milady?"

"I'm... Kuran Koharu," she introduced herself as Kuran, like Kaname had indirectly suggested.

It felt strange; although she was half-Kuran, she was used to the Hiō name, and she contemplated for a moment how she was supposed to address Kaname. Calling him by his last name was out of the question as his relative, but what should she add to his first name? -San? -Kun?

No...

 _'Buttering Kaname up won't hurt,'_ she mused. _'It's the right way to address him anyway... but oh boy, it's going to feel strange.'_

"...Kaname-onii-sama's cousin," she settled on, giving the other Pureblood an unsure glance, but he continued to calmly sip his tea after a momentary glimpse in her direction.

 _'Acceptable then,'_ Koharu gave herself a mental pat on the back.

Surprise showed on Takuma's face and he glanced back and forth between the two Kuran. "I didn't know that you had a cousin, Kaname," he spoke to his friend in a playful, half-accusing tone, as if they were equals, seemingly uncaring of the vampire hierarchy and that he should address a Pureblood with more respect.

Koharu had missed these kind of casual interactions. Getting pampered like a princess got old fast.

"Me neither. Until today," Kaname answered dryly.

"Heh...? So there are times when even you don't know everything?" Takuma mused, receiving a slightly cross look from Kaname.

Koharu had to contain herself not to let out an amused snort. However, her lips quirked upwards.

Then, his attention was back on Koharu. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Koharu-sama," he beamed once more at her, only this time it was more sincere.

She was caught off-guard by his attitude and blinding smile.

Takuma was as amiable, handsome and charming as a real person as he had been in the series. Very un-vampire-like. Koharu approved.

"Likewise, Ichijō-kun," she replied quietly, feeling herself blush – she blamed her teenage hormones.

Takuma joined them and asked Koharu more about herself, whether she liked the tea and sweets, what her favourite kind was, if her journey had been pleasant, how Kaname encountered her, and if she had known that she had a cousin.

The Ichijō heir remained friendly and kind as they chatted, and Koharu could tell that it wasn't just a polite front but how he really was, which pleased her and put her mind at ease. Even though they were still strangers, he made her feel slightly more comfortable for the first time since leaving the Hiō compound. It also helped that she just had to answer his questions to keep the conversation going and didn't have to come up with them herself.

Yes, she had known about her relatives but hadn't been able to contact them. When she mentioned that she met Kaname at the Hiō estate Takuma was visibly distressed by it.

"What did you do there, Kaname?"

"I released Hiō Shizuka so she could take revenge." A shadowed, haunted look, that Koharu hadn't expected, crossed over Kaname's face.

Maybe he felt remorse for unleashing Shizuka on the Kiryū family? That didn't erase the fact that he would now partly be responsible for the death of Zero's parents, his vampirism and the future conflict with his brother if nothing changed. Still, Koharu was somewhat relieved to see that Kaname had a conscience.

Takuma jumped up from his seat, startling Koharu. "Kaname! How can you make such a cruel gamble?" To a point he was apparently in the knowing about Kaname's plans.

Koharu was astounded that Takuma felt this sympathetic towards a Vampire Hunter family, though he also had to have reacted so strongly out of worry for his friend's conscience and mental health. If Kaname had any semblance of a conscience, he would suffer because of his own actions. The young Aristocrat rose even further in her esteem for his concern and because he wasn't afraid to reprimand Kaname.

The other Kuran glanced at Koharu, the blond following the motion, remembering that they weren't alone. Not that it mattered, for the reborn woman already knew about Kaname's plans anyway, but they didn't know that. She had owned the whole manga series of _Vampire Knight_ and so far everything, apart from herself and some minor changes, had played out like in canon.

After Shizuka's lover had been killed when he left the Hiō estate, Koharu wrote a message to her – the first one ever – and sent it to Shizuka via her familiar. It had been the only thing that she could do in regards to the plot with Zero in her situation and to... apologize.

She'd asked Shizuka to consider who the puppet master behind her lover's death was, the one who was truly at fault for Yusuke-san's death, and not to take revenge on people who hadn't known that he was a Level D and simply did their job, believing they were protectig humans from a dangerous Level E. She didn't know Shizuka's answer because she had never received a reply from her.

It was out of her hands now what Shizuka would do. That didn't mean that Koharu would do nothing.

She lowered her eyes to her cup while she was thinking about the incident with Yusuke-san, feeling Kaname's appraising gaze on her. She figured that it was probably for the best to reveal what she was thinking about him and his actions. He was clearly waiting for some kind of response from her.

"I'm aware that you released my mother as well. And that she wants to take revenge on the Hunters who killed... Yusuke-san."

Takuma sucked in a sharp breath at the revelation of Koharu's parentage, though he must have already suspected it because of her appearance and scent. Hiō were known for their silvery-white hair, their natural scent that resembled that of cherry blossoms – a mixture of lilac, rose, vanilla and soft almond – and for favouring traditional clothing. She shared these traits with Shizuka.

"You speak as if you knew her lover," Kaname observed.

An image of a man with brown hair and a friendly smile but with eyes full of self-hatred flashed through her mind.

 _"_ _Would you like to play a game of sh_ _ōgi with me, little Hiō princess? It must be lonely to be alone in your quarters all the time."_

Despite keeping a hold on her still developing destructive powers, her tea cup cracked as Koharu's control over her telekinesis slipped due to her emotional distress. Her reaction didn't escape the other two vampires.

"...I did. Yusuke-san was a kind man," she said vaguely, sadness and guilt clouding her eyes.

Although Yusuke-san despised what he'd been turned into and partially hated Shizuka for it, he'd also loved her. The man even went so far as to visit Koharu a few times to talk to her or play a game with her. His kindness ultimately became the cause of his death. Unlike Shizuka or herself, he'd not been trapped in the compound and was allowed to exit the cage as long as he fulfilled his duties as Shizuka's servant.

Fortunately, Koharu didn't have to elaborate because the butler returned with the message that Ichiō was awaiting them.

* * *

Ichijō Asatō was as intimidating as Koharu had expected – his presence was second only to that of a Pureblood vampire – and she did not like the hand kiss she received from him at all. However, she made sure to keep her calm and composed mask on in front of him. She was convinced that she could defend herself against an Aristocrat if she needed to but hoped that it wouldn't come to that. She despised violence.

Kaname and Takuma were both in the room as well, which served as a small relief for her. After the introductions were over, they came to the juicy parts. Ichiō, the leader of the Vampire Council, had apparently known that Koharu existed but had never informed Kaname or his parents of her.

This was news to her though she'd suspected as much earlier when Kaname said that he didn't know he had a cousin. Koharu had assumed that Juri, Haruka, and Kaname didn't want anything to do with her because she was Ridō's daughter, and had never visited her for this reason. She hadn't known that her existence had been kept a secret from them.

For some reason, it angered her to learn about this now. Her life and the lives of her relatives could have turned out for the better if they had made contact with each other.

"It has become custom to keep members of the esteemed Hiō family away from society for their own and everyone else's safety. Their sad history shouldn't repeat itself," Asatō defended his stance.

"You think you will be able to achieve this by keeping them caged like wild beasts from birth?" Kaname asked pointedly.

"Until this day it has been a sufficient method, Kaname-sama," Asatō retorted, his steely blue eyes travelling once more to Koharu, who sat silently next to Kaname on the sofa opposite to Takuma.

She was content with leaving the two men talk for the moment to get a feel for them and the situation. 

"What about Koharu then, who is also half-Kuran? Why was she kept in a cage and a secret from her other relatives?"

"I don't wish to imply anything, Kaname-sama, Koharu-sama, and pardon me for saying this, but as the late Haruka-sama and Juri-sama had to experience firsthand, Ridō-sama is sadly not a very stable individual either. With this in mind, the Council of Elders deemed it best to keep his daughter, Koharu-sama, safe like her mother." The elder kept a straight face while saying this, just like Koharu, as if he hadn't just implied that she was a disaster waiting to happen and decided to imprison her without ever getting to know her.

The nerve of the Council Elders. They just wanted to have their own pet Purebloods so they could make new vampire slaves whenever they needed some. 

"Considering your recent loss, I can understand why you would want your cousin to keep you company, Kaname-sama, but with all due respect, Koharu-sama should be returned to her home."

 _'To her **prison** where we can control and use her,'_ Koharu corrected him in her mind since this was most likely what Ichiō had to be thinking.

"Ojii-san..." the blond teen gave his grandfather a scandalised look before shooting an apologetic glance at Koharu.

She had to keep a lid on her temper to prevent her powers from acting up and swallowed her anger down. She was ready to say something in her own defence, having had enough of people discussing her situation without asking her opinion even though she was present.

She had assumed that Kaname would convince Asatō to let her stay with him, so he could make her his pawn or whatever else he intended to use her for, but she was pretty sure that he wasn't going all out for some reason. Or did he simply not care if she would be sent back again because he had freed her on a whim?

Then... she would have to fight for her freedom herself. Koharu would not return to that prison where certain death awaited her. She contemplated her words well before she chimed in.

"Ichiō-san, do you doubt my older cousin's abilities and competence?" she asked the older vampire innocently, playing the role of the clueless thirteen-year-old Pureblood, so he would let his guard down.

"Of course not, Koharu-sama. Kaname-sama is the head of the Kuran family and despite his young age capable in every aspect." Ichiō lifted one brow and she could feel Kaname shift beside her.

His full attention was on her, fuelling her nervousness. Hopefully, showing more of her intelligence or shrewd streak to him wouldn't change his opinion of her and label her a threat in his eyes.

"Why do you think then that Kaname-onii-sama would be unable to keep me under control should I ever become a threat like one of my ancestors?"

Ichiō's expression hardened as he grasped what she was trying to do and that he had just stepped right into her trap because he had completely underestimated her.

"I implied no such thing, Koharu-sama." Doubting Kaname's power would be foolish.

Koharu wasn't quite done yet, though. She could have a mental breakdown about antagonising one of the most influential members of vampire society later. Perhaps she'd just been too impatient and Kaname would have spoken up for her if she'd waited just a little longer. In any case, she had started this, so she had to bring it to an end.

"I see. Then there shouldn't be a problem if I stayed by Kaname-onii-sama's side, rigth?" she tilted her head in question and held the senator's gaze. "I promise to be on my best behaviour, Ichiō-san, and not to cause you any inconveniences. You seem like a sensible man, so I'm sure that we can come to an agreement."

A calculative gleam entered Asatō's eyes as he considered Koharu's words. "My fears might have been unfounded since you present yourself with such a keen mind, Koharu-sama." Ichiō folded his hands in his lap. "And who am I to disregard a Pureblood's promise?"

She gave him a small practised smile that was usually directed at her servants. She'd hoped that the elder would bite if she mentioned that she was willing to make deals with him and was pleased with her success. It had worked with **the** **beast** after all, so why shouldn't it work with his daughter.

"As your relative so strongly wishes for you to remain by his side, and you wish for the same, I will grant your request. I will speak on your behalf in the Council, Koharu-sama," the elder continued. "I hope you will enjoy your time here in my home, and won't forget this humble servant." He placed a hand over his heart and lowered his head slightly.

"Of course. Thank you for inviting me into your home, Ichiō-san," Koharu smiled politely.

She was ashamed for basically forcing her way into someone else's home, even if they had their own agenda for inviting her to live there, but she didn't have many options. Returning to her cage now was unthinkable, and she didn't particularly want to try to live on the streets either. It was only temporary anyway. By the time **the beast** would come to this estate, she'd be long gone.

Getting Asatō's permission to stay took a weight off Koharu's mind even though he and Kaname now saw her in a new light. Takuma looked thoughtful as she glanced at him, possibly wondering what Kaname or his grandfather gained by freeing her and letting her stay here.

The two Kuran both thanked the head of the Ichijō family and left. Takuma remained with his grandfather, undoubtedly receiving instructions to spy on Koharu from now on, too, just like he was supposed to do with Kaname. The tension in Koharu's body eased once she was away from the vampire elder.

By order of Ichiō a room next to Kaname's was prepared for Koharu. A maid gave her a tour of the house in the meantime.

When she later opened the door to Koharu's new quarters and had her back to her, Koharu's eyes wandered to Kaname who stood in his doorway, staring at her. Why wasn't he asleep yet and looking at her as if he wanted her to say something?

She realised that she had never thanked him for releasing her. "Thank you for getting me out of the Hiō compound and for bringing me here, Kaname-onii-sama."

"You shouldn't thank me yet. I freed you with a certain purpose in mind."

As she had already suspected. But why hadn't he helped her earlier then if he needed her for something? Did he want to see if she could convince Ichiō herself?

"...It wasn't just for companionship, was it?"

"Your assumption is correct."

"Are you not going to go into greater detail about this, onii-sama?" she remained hopeful for a straight answer.

Kaname's lips tilted slightly upwards. "You will come to know my reasons in time," was his cryptic and frustrating response. "Good night." 

"Good night," Koharu mumbled as she entered her own room, wondering what she had gotten herself into. At least she had an idea what Kaname's motives could be because of her knowledge of the manga series.

The maid measured Koharu, so she would be able to order fitting clothes for the Pureblood. Koharu hadn't bothered to take any clothes with her; she didn't even own a suitcase. For now, as everyone retired to bed in the vampire household, she had to make do with a new nightgown that was slightly too big for her and intended for guests. At sundown the maid would hopefully return with new clothes.

As she climbed under the cream-coloured silk covers of the foreign bed, she relaxed for the first time since leaving her cage. However, she could feel Kaname's powerful presence in the room next to hers, which stopped her from falling asleep. This would take some time to get used to it.

She was still wary of him, but he had aided her to turn her life around. Even though it had probably been for the sake of his plans, she appreciated that. She was looking forward to figuring out the mysterious Kuran ancestor. And there was also Takuma, who was like a breath of fresh air with his sunny disposition.

Although she would have to be on her toes from now on, Koharu thought that this change wasn't bad at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I've kept everyone in character... if not, don't be shy to point it out and give me suggestions what I should change/improve! I really want to keep the canon characters in character.
> 
> English is not my native language, so I apologise for any mistakes and would really appreciate it if you pointed them out!
> 
> Thank you for reading and feel free to leave a review/comment to tell me what you think :)


	3. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaname freed not only Shizuka from her cage that day. A woman from the 21st century was unlucky enough to be reborn as her daughter, and she wasn't particularly enthused by the idea of letting her life play out according to a formerly fictional series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Here is the update 🧛🏻♀️

Koharu was woken up by a knock on her door at half past five, shortly before sundown. For a moment she was confused about her whereabouts until she remembered that she was at the Ichijō manor. She slid out of the bed, stretched, created a familiar and let it out of the window to go and spy on Ichiō, and received the maid.

She usually got up at 4 p.m. so she could enjoy at least one last hour of daylight – even as a vampire she couldn't quite part with the light of day. In addition, she had always liked to get up early because she loved the tranquillity of the morning; the time when no one else was around or awake yet.

The brown-haired Level C vampire she let in introduced herself as Honda Sachiko and was supposed to be her new personal maid from now on. She and four other maids brought Koharu kimono, underwear, some hair accessories and jewellery, but also certain garments that surprised her.

The pieces of clothes in question were dresses, jackets and shoes. They had procured her western clothes.

 _'It's been a while that I've worn some...'_ Koharu thought, hit by a wave of nostalgia _._

To be precise, she had never worn western clothes as Koharu. While she had come to love kimono and yukata, she didn't hesitate to take a dainty, dusky pink haute couture dress with her to the adjoined bathroom. The maids were about to follow her into the room, having been instructed to assist Koharu with getting ready, but she sent them away. Even if she was something like a princess in the eyes of vampire society, she wanted her privacy in the bathroom, thank you very much.

The marble and wood bathroom was as luxuriant as her new room even though they were smaller than her quarters in the Hiō compound. Not that the rooms were actually small if you compared them to normal, reasonable sized rooms. She wouldn't complain, though. Everything she needed to get ready she found inside the cabinets or the room itself.

After stepping out of the bathroom, Honda-san knelt down on one leg in front of Koharu, so she could absorb some of the maid's life energy via skin contact. Koharu had gotten used to this strange craving she felt whenever she needed life energy, as well as the method how to satisfy it, but kissing a stranger on the cheek to get what her body needed made her feel uncomfortable.

Nowadays the amount of life energy she had to consume to satisfy the craving was quite a lot compared to a year ago, and sometimes Koharu wasn't really satisfied by it for long anymore. The scent of blood was also becoming more and more enticing to her. She always got a whiff of it at the Hiō compound when Shizuka drank the blood of the humans that the servants brought her – it was a daily occurrence. 

Koharu knew that she would get her fangs and that her thirst for blood and her vampire instincts would awaken one day. It was part of being a vampire after all. But she already dreaded that day and hoped it would come later rather than sooner. She wasn't keen on having to deal with those issues.

Honda-san led her through the corridors and into the dining room, that smelt faintly of something very similar to human blood but nowhere near as good. Still, it aroused Koharu's curiosity. Kaname and Takuma were already sitting at a sizeable table with a small variety of foods and drinks spread out on it.

She was informed that Ichiō was away on business – possibly to break the news that she was staying at his place to the other Senators – which she didn't really mind. They would have found out about that anyway. Koharu counted this as a small blessing and was glad that she didn't have to face the vampire elder at breakfast.

Her short inspection of the table showed that there were no glasses filled with blood, but she spotted two glasses – one for Kaname and Takuma each – that contained a light reddish liquid. The weird scent that loosely resembled blood originated from it.

 _'That must be the blood tablets,'_ Koharu guessed.

She couldn't say how relieved she was that they already existed. It would make things a lot easier for her in the future.

"Good morning, Koharu-sama! That western dress really suits you," Takuma greeted her cheerfully, and she reciprocated it with less exuberance but the same positive attitude.

"Good morning Ichijō-kun and thank you for the compliment. Good morning to you as well, Kaname-onii-sama."

Kaname appeared to be a bit sleepy still. "...Good morning." 

Then the realisation that Kaname and Takuma must have waited for her to begin with breakfast hit Koharu, and she immediately felt awkward and apologetic for being late.

"I... have to apologize. I didn't expect that I would have breakfast in company for once. I hope I didn't make you wait for too long?"

Koharu hadn't eaten a meal with anyone since she was human. Her caretakers had just brought her her meals back at the Hiō compound.

Takuma gave her a warm, sympathetic look. She didn't know how to feel about it, but she guessed that it was well-meant.

"It's fine. We didn't have to wait for long, right, Kaname? Let's have breakfast before the food gets cold!"

During breakfast Takuma held a light-hearted conversation with Koharu, and Kaname chimed in whenever he felt like talking, too. The Aristocrat asked her about her favourite foods, which then led to a small discussion about western and traditional foods. Once more Takuma's presence and his upbeat character made her feel welcome.

' _He's adorable. I've known him for less than a day, but he's already well on the way to becoming my new favourite person_ ,' Koharu thought. ' _Takuma has some serious charisma.'_

After breakfast their lessons began. They included mathematics like algebra, geometry and calculus, micro and macro economics, sciences like physics and biochemistry, literature and art, music, history, politics, etiquette and dancing, and languages.

She noted that the level was a lot higher than what humans who appeared to be the same physical age as the three of them would learn and about university level. Vampire children grew up slower than humans but they possessed superior intelligence.

Koharu had noticed that she grasped concepts faster than in her past life, where she had to study hard to get good grades and even then failed at times. As a vampire she even retained information better. It was unfair.

 _'I would ace that horrid chemistry test from my final year at school if I tried it again now'_ , she mused.

It made sense in her opinion, though. Vampires needed blood, primarily human or vampire blood, to live, so they had to be able to get it somehow. Naturally, as the predators they were born to be, they had to not only be stronger and faster than their potential prey but also more sharp-witted. From their appearance to their mental and physical abilities vampires were born to be apex predators. If they wanted to be, of course.

Throughout the lessons Koharu stayed with Kaname and Takuma. Koharu was glad that she didn't have too much trouble with keeping up with the subjects that were discussed or brought up in their lessons. She'd been confined to her cage for more than two decades and thus she had more time than ever to extend her knowledge in almost any subject she desired.

However, there were certain topics she hadn't been taught about or hadn't been allowed to learn about – the current conflicts of the world and politics for example. So she would be 'protected from outside influences', as her caretakers used to say.

There had been no need for a dance teacher or dance lessons either, because Koharu wasn't supposed to attend a soiree. Ever.

As a result, when it was time for the dance lessons, Koharu stood there like a fish out of water. The female teacher looked at her with high expectations as Kaname held out his hand for Koharu.

After a moment of hesitation Koharu placed her hand in her cousin's without comment as she internally panicked. She had never been good at admitting her faults or that she was unable to do something. Especially in front of Kaname or people with certain expectations of her.

With her poker face on, she let Kaname guide her steps. And promptly stepped on his foot, for which she quietly apologized, her distress growing. Kaname peered down at her but continued dancing with her. It didn't take long until it happened a second, third, and even fourth time.

"You weren't taught how to dance, were you?" Kaname observed.

She nodded sullenly in defeat, unable to deny it. She hadn't danced in her past life either and hadn't been particularly athletic though she'd liked to swim and made sure to stay healthy by going on walks and watching her diet.

Takuma, who had been dancing with a smitten maid, had kept an eye on the other pair out of interest and piped up, "That's why you looked like a little fawn that is still shaky on its legs."

The smile the teen sported was free of any maliciousness, but his comment managed to make Koharu feel more ashamed about her non-apparent dancing skills and irked her at the same time. She blushed involuntarily, which seemed to amuse both Kaname and Takuma.

"What the young master means to say, Koharu-sama, is that you were are already doing admirably for someone that hasn't danced before," the dance teacher tried to appease her.

"She was certainly talented in regards to managing to step on all of my toes at once," the Kuran ancestor commented in a dry tone.

Koharu had no idea what to say or how to react to that, not having expected that Kaname would try to tease her of all things. She wasn't used to receiving criticism or getting teased anymore after over twenty years of receiving nothing but praise since she'd been born as a Pureblood.

' _I've become arrogant and boring,_ ' she thought to herself. _'I should work on that.'_

"...I just followed your lead, Onii-sama," she retorted innocently and looked up at the taller teen, who still had an arm around her waist.

"Maybe you _wanted_ to get stepped on your toes then, Kaname," Takuma commented airily.

Slight humour was displayed on Kaname's face. "Perhaps I did."

 _'Oh my... I hope I haven't accidentally triggered Kaname's masochistic side.'_ Even if that was the case, Koharu couldn't help but hide a smile behind her hand.

* * *

They were released from their lessons at half past one in the morning. Koharu stared out of the window and at the entrance of the forest, burning to take a walk and get another taste of freedom.

"Koharu-sama, would you like to take a walk in the forest? I could show you around." The blond Level B had easily seen through her.

She readily jumped at the chance. "I would like that, yes."

"Great! Kaname, do you want to accompany us?" Takuma asked his friend.

Kaname closed his eyes in contemplation. "A walk certainly wouldn't hurt."

Once the three vampires had put on jackets and decent shoes for outside, they entered the forest that surrounded the Ichijō estate, guards following them at a distance. The air was cool and slightly moist at the end of September, but it wasn't like vampires could catch a cold.

Koharu relished the wind on her face and in her hair, the earthy, musty and woody scents that she detected in the air, as well as the smells of smaller nocturnal animals, that all ran away once they got too close, sensing that something dangerous was coming their way. Animals didn't like vampires.

Koharu could even feel the plants to a point; the trees more strongly than the rest. Her heart grew lighter with every step further into nature, hypnotized and intrigued by everything her superhuman senses perceived.

 _'It's so different than what I could discern as a human or through my familiar,_ ' she was awed.

Never again would she take this for granted. As she followed Takuma and Kaname on a trail, Koharu spotted a cherry tree amidst the pine and spruce trees. The traditional Japanese garden she had a view of from her windows in her quarters back at the Hiō compound had a few sakura trees, too. They'd bloom during nearly all seasons because of Shizuka and perhaps even Koharu's influence.

Even now she could feel her power, magic, whatever it exactly was, reaching out for the tree's life force. Koharu wanted to know if she could make the cherry flowers bloom just like Shizuka, so she stepped closer to the tree and placed one hand on its bark. The other Pureblood and the young Ichijō heir stopped their chat and watched her in silence.

The bark felt rough under her palm, but she relished the touch, as well as the foreign feeling of another life force she sensed underneath it. The tree was alive and seemed to be aware of her on some level. Its presence was oddly calming. 

Just a touch, more like a soft caress, with her power was enough to strengthen the tree to eagerly follow her request. Leaves began to sprout in a matter of seconds, then the buds appeared and opened up to reveal beautiful, soft pink cherry blossoms. Koharu was happy that it had worked.

This new awareness for trees and plants was fascinating but also strange to the former human woman. She'd known that the ability to manipulate plants was rather common in the Hiō Clan, although not everyone possessed it, and was thrilled that she had it.

_'This is almost as good as the telekinesis... Maybe I should try to plant some flowers sometime.'_

The telekinesis came in handy whenever she was too lazy to stand up and pick out a new book from her bookshelf, or when she needed something from across the room, or even when she was bored and decided to rearrange the furniture in her quarters.

Now that she thought about it, she'd used her telekinesis quite often and had gotten very good at it, too. At first, when her powers had begun to present themselves, she'd destroyed cups, pens, even clothes or furniture on accident. She had even caused Poltergeist phenomena at times and had moved furniture without wanting to just because her control over her powers had slipped.

However, as Koharu had enough time on her hands, she'd practised her telekinesis and the other powers that had developed over time, even if it had been a quite frustrating and tedious process. Her caretakers had tried to persuade her to just keep her powers under control instead of practising or experimenting with them, but she didn't listen to them. Using these abilities was one of the few highlights in her life as Pureblood.

"Ooh! You made the cherry blossoms bloom!" Takuma was excited to see her powers in person.

Koharu almost jumped at Takuma's voice, not because he was loud, but because she'd almost forgotten that he and Kaname were there, too, because she was too focused on the tree.

She smiled at the blond in contentment, uncaring about the other vampires, their guards, at this moment. Somehow, Koharu had the feeling that she would become a tree hugger after this experience, more than she already was. Kaname was gauging her ability in silence, judging from his look.

"Why don't we have a picknick here tomorrow after our lessons?" Takuma suggested. "It's not everyday that we can enjoy a sakura tree in full bloom in autumn. It's right around Tsukimi, too."

She'd learned that Tsukimi was a traditional celebration of the autumn moon, that included gathering at a place where the moon, that was brighter at the time of the harvest, could be seen.

Kaname gave Koharu a knowing look. "I have the feeling that this won't be the last time that we see a cherry tree bloom out of season, but I agree. I would like to have some of your personally prepared tea, Ichijō."

"I like the idea, too," Koharu gave her consent, already anticipating it.

It had been a while that she had anything to anticipate.

"Then it's decided!" Takuma appeared happy that his proposition was accepted and that his skills were valued by Kaname.

He and the Kuran ancestor showed Koharu more of the area before they returned to the manor.

* * *

Naturally, as this had been a traditional Japanese celebration in the past, Koharu wore a fitting kimono this time. Even Kaname and Takuma put on traditional clothes the next night.

It was a perfect night for Tsukimi – the moon shone brightly, there were barely any clouds in the sky, and it was dry although it was a little cool. The cherry tree, underneath which the servants had prepared a blanket, pillows, food, and everything that was needed for a tea ceremony, still stood in full bloom and smelt pleasantly.

Koharu was observing Takuma as he performed the tea ceremony for her, sitting opposite of her. She'd learned how to do it as well, but she rarely had the chance to perform it for someone; the last person who had received her tea had been Yusuke-san, Shizuka's lover.

Each of Takuma's movements were refined and elegant. He knew what he was doing and the teen looked like he was enjoying it. Also, he had remembered that matcha was Koharu's favourite kind, which delighted her.

She received her tea cup first out of chivalry and took a few tentative sips from it. "It's delicious. You are very good at this, Ichijō-kun," Koharu gave Takuma a small, satisfied smile as she spoke her opinion.

The teen had clearly been waiting for her assessment. Kaname drank from his tea cup in silent agreement.

Takuma blushed lightly at the praise and beamed at her. "I'm glad you like it, Koharu-sama!"

"You can drop the honorific if you want," she proposed, wishing to be addressed by him like Kaname – in a more familiar and less distant way.

She wanted to make some more friends now that she had the opportunity to, and Takuma was very likeable. Even if she had some prior knowledge of him and his personality, she was usually pretty good at assessing someone's character as well. Anyone would be happy to have him as a friend, and it was odd if she was the only one who was addressed with -sama.

The teen blinked in surprise before he smiled at her again, appearing to be in a jovial mood. "Alright... Koharu- _chan,_ but then you have to call me by my first name, too."

She didn't mind that at all. "Deal, Takuma-kun."

The three of them enjoyed their tea underneath the moonlight and cherry tree, eating Tsukimi dango and other snacks the servants had prepared for them as they chatted about various topics. Koharu had the feeling that her life was finally changing for the better.

 _'It has only taken over twenty-six years,'_ she thought as she gazed up at the moon before she looked back at Takuma who was drinking from his tea cup.

' _I wonder how he can drink his tea with jam, though. That's really weird.'_

* * *

As the days passed, she got to know the people living at the Ichijō estate, including Ichiō, who joined them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner when he had time and was at the manor. Koharu was careful what she said around him, or anyone who wasn't Kaname or Takuma for that matter.

Kaname hadn't lied when he'd said that this place could be considered worse than her cage – her every step was being watched. Koharu felt that she might develop some sort of paranoia after living here for a while but thought that it was a small sacrifice to make in exchange for some more freedom of movement and the opportunity to make friends.

She took a neutral stance whenever they discussed matters like the Vampire Council or vampire politics, balancing on the line in between pro or contra Senate as to not earn the ire of either Kaname or the vampire elder.

In secret though, she was of Kaname's opinion. The Senate was corrupt and needed to be abolished. However, it would need to be done carefully and with a fitting replacement already prepared, so there wouldn't be a power vacuum like in the manga series. Too many humans had been attacked or killed by vampires that had gone out of control after Kaname's rash disposal of the Senate – the only thing that had kept them in place before.

Ichiō was of the opinion that she should be introduced to vampire society soon and Kaname shared that view surprisingly enough. Koharu wasn't very eager about getting involved in political schemes and gossip but was aware that she'd have to bite the bullet sooner or later. She didn't want to think about all the small talk, pretending and scheming that laid ahead of her; the mere thought let her shudder in repulsion and made her question if she could really do it.

 _'It's going to be a lot of work. But it's necessary...'_ Koharu concluded.

Now that she was staying with Kaname and would remain at his side for an uncertain amount of time, she had to make preparations for the possible future. Koharu had found a purpose now after leaving her cage. She wouldn't just let things happen like in canon if she had any say in it. She'd already interfered in it by being born and by sending that letter to Shizuka.

This was her life and Koharu wouldn't watch a tragic story she already knew unfold before her eyes.

* * *

The reborn woman wordlessly stared at the girl standing in front of her while the girl was doing the same after having greeted her appropriately.

_'So this is Seiren, huh?'_

Sine their lessons had just ended, Koharu was in the drawing room with Kaname and Takuma. Seiren had suddenly entered the room to report her progress with her weapon training to Kaname. Koharu didn't mind that she had interrupted the game of chess that she was losing against Kaname. Again.

 _'For someone that plays chess so well he could have done a better job with his scheming in the series,'_ she sighed mentally.

The girl was about three years younger than Koharu's perceived age of thirteen or fourteen but a lot younger in reality. This wasn't just because of Koharu's twenty-two years of human past life but also because Seiren had grown up normally as a human and would continue to do so until adulthood even though she had been turned into a vampire by Kaname.

People who were _born_ as vampires, however, grew up a little slower in body than human children. This meant that Seiren would grow up faster than Koharu or even Kaname and Takuma.

At the moment, Seiren was still training to become Kaname's bodyguard and far from the competent servant Koharu remembered her to be. But she already had the stoic, serious attitude.

Talking to the girl proved to be difficult; she was a quiet person, as much as Koharu, so most of the conversation after introductions were over was being held through evaluating looks and prompted by Takuma's conversation starters.

In the end, Koharu decided that she liked the girl and her no-nonsense attitude although she had to admit that it was frustrating to chat with someone who was as quiet or even more quiet than her. She wondered when she would meet the other people from the future Night Class.

* * *

Koharu spent a lot of her time with Takuma and Kaname even after their lessons, though they sometimes were away from the manor or otherwise occupied, too. Kaname was often invited to attend soirees or balls, even some Vampire Council meetings, on some of which Takuma accompanied him. Also, Takuma received private sword lessons from his grandfather whenever Ichiō had the time.

Koharu passed the time she was left alone by reading books, drawing, taking a walk outside, playing the flute, or spying through the eyes of her familiars. She felt left out at times but knew that it was just a matter of time until she could join them. And she'd already been patient for a long time, so this should be nothing. Still, she was in dire need for a new hobby and more friends.

* * *

The topic of their favourite book genre came up one time when Takuma was playing a game of hanafuda with Koharu while Kaname was absorbed in a book on a nearby sofa. She'd asked Kaname what book he was reading.

It turned out to be a classic about two friends growing up and living in war times. One of them became a warrior who joined the war out of a sense of duty and the wish to protect his friend, and the other one became a merchant and had to face other issues. The warrior died at the end of the war and story but kept his promise to return although it was as a ghost and just for one last meeting. He vanished at the end of the conversation with his friend, leaving only chrysanthemum flowers behind.

Koharu had read the story in her literature lessons at the Hiō compound. "I don't like tragedies. They make me sad," she said, turning over another card. "I prefer stories with a happy ending."

Kaname looked up from his book. "Sometimes tragedies can't be avoided."

She wondered if Kaname was speaking about his own experiences. "That is true..." her eyes shone in understanding as she thought of Yusuke-san and how she'd died as a human. "But that doesn't mean that one shouldn't at least try to prevent them with all their power."

"I wouldn't have pegged you for such an optimist," the Kuran retorted wryly.

She wondered if her mindset could truly be considered optimistic. The reborn woman just disliked emotional or physical suffering. Koharu had had enough of that.

"Well, I wholeheartedly agree with Koharu-chan," Takuma commented. "I can't stand tragedies either. What kind of genre do you like then, Koharu-chan?"

"Comedy and..." she felt herself blush a little, "...romance." The romantic in her had never died and it couldn't be sappy enough for her. She'd always been a dreamer.

"How childish." Kaname sported a faintly amused expression with slightly upturned lips, but didn't appear very surprised.

She blushed harder at his commentary. "And you have the same taste as an old, bitter man. Not everyone can be fond of dreary and depressing stories."

She was aware that Kaname was actually something like her great-great-grandfather and couldn't resist that snide remark. Kaname wouldn't know that she was aware of his true identity just through this, she guessed.

"So I have the same interests as an old, bitter man?" Kaname repeated dryly, slightly irked if Koharu interpreted his expression right.

"Sometimes you do seem rather old-fashioned, Kaname," Takuma added his opinion good-naturedly, which earned him a glower from said old-fashioned person.

 _'Oh my, Takuma. Despite your friendly nature, you can be savage.'_ A small laugh escaped from Koharu's lips. _'Ah, I wonder how long it's been that I've laughed? Wow, that thought is kind of depressing.'_

While the other Pureblood was watching her, the Aristocrat smiled back at her as if she had just gifted him the most precious present.

"As for me, I prefer mystery novels, but I don't mind some romance and comedy either," Takuma returned to the topic they had been discussing before. "You know, I have a series that you might like, Koharu-chan... Have you ever read manga before?"

"My caretakers thought manga were inappropriate reading material for me and that they had no educational value," she avoided a direct answer.

"How right they were," Kaname commented.

Koharu had actually been a huge manga and anime fan in her past life but hadn't been allowed anywhere near them in her new incarnation. For years she'd suffered from serious manga, anime and internet withdrawal. She wondered what kind of manga there were in this world.

"Eh?! No way!" Takuma was scandalised by either Koharu or Kaname's remark, or both. "Manga are an important cultural heritage, and you can learn a lot about human culture and the like by reading them!" he protested before he turned to Koharu again.

"If you want, I could show you my collection."

A. Collection. Of. Manga.

She had no idea how she could forget the teeny-weeny detail that Takuma was an avid manga reader in the _Vampire Knight_ series. This seemed to be true for his real life version as well.

Koharu jumped at the offer with sparkling eyes. "I would love that, Takuma-kun."

"Alright! I'm going to introduce you to all of my favourites!" the Aristocrat was as excited as her.

The two of them didn't bother to bring the game of koi-koi to an end as they stood up.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Kaname?" the blond turned to his friend at the doorstep. "You've never seen my manga collection before."

"No, thank you, Ichijō. I'm quite content with my _dreary_ novel. Enjoy yourselves, _children_." It seemed that Kaname didn't share their passion. He just didn't know what was good.

 _'Reading those gloomy tragedies has to have a negative impact on Kaname's mood. I should try to do something about that...'_ Koharu mused. _'But first, manga here I come~.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter! Can you guess which kind of animal Koharu's familiar is? :D
> 
> Concerning vampire age/aging: If you've read the manga, you've surely noticed that the vampires sometimes talk about 'vampire age' and 'human age', e.g. when Yuuki asks Takuma at his birthday party how old he turned now, Kaname's comment about human children and that they age fast, and how he seems to be at least eight years older looks-wise when Yuuki was a baby but later when she's around twelve he doesn't look older than sixteen or seventeen. There's also the issue of vampire pregnancies lasting about 2-5 years.
> 
> My explanation goes like this: vampire age is the age the vampires physically appear to be. A vampire child grows up about two times slower than a human child. So, in two years a vampire child only grows about one year - the vampire children grow up slower in body than the human children, but they possess superior intelligence (that was stated in the manga). This would explain Hanabusa's intellect at a visibly very young age, as well as the advanced classes of the Night Class.
> 
> Vampire age= the age a vampire physically looks like
> 
> Human age= the true age according to the calendar
> 
> Example: Takuma appears to be 18 in the manga but is actually at least twice as old in reality, about 36-40 years in normal human age.
> 
> After a vampire has reached adulthood, they age slower, or, in the case of Purebloods not at all.
> 
> Level A Purebloods are technically immortal and do not age after reaching adulthood and may even alter their appearance to look like a child again (referring to Lord Toma and Kaname here). Level B Aristocrats live around 500-1000 years if it's true that Takuma was able to guard Kaname for a thousand years. They do age but not as fast as humans. Level C common vampires may live around 320-400 years (this is headcanon as it is never mentioned in the manga).
> 
> Level D ex-human vampires like Zero continue to grow up like a normal human until they reach adulthood. Then they age more slowly. If they don't get stabilized by drinking the blood of their creator, they turn into Level E. If the Level E are not killed, I estimate that they may be able to live about 160-200 years - twice as long as humans can. Is a Level D stabilized they become Level C, common vampires.
> 
> Once Yuuki was turned into a human, she aged like a normal human up until she was turned into a vampire again.
> 
> Also, I suspect that a vampire's, or perhaps even human's, lifespan can be extended by drinking the blood of a Pureblood (referring to Zero and the former Hunter Association President here).
> 
> In any case, this is the aging system that I'm going to use in this fic. These are just my own observations and what I've gathered by reading the Vampire Knight manga, wikia, Vampire Knight Memories and some discussions about this topic. I hope it makes sense :)


	4. The Outside World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Here is the edited version of Chapter 4. I hope you enjoy :D

As silently as possible, so she wouldn't wake any of the servants or residents of the mansion, Koharu sneaked out of her room. She'd woken up at 4 p.m. in order to take a walk outside in the sunlight again. Unfortunately, it was coming down in buckets today, so she had to cancel her walk.

While she enjoyed her frequent walks with Takuma and Kaname during the night, Koharu yearned to feel the sun on her skin, even if it was a rather uncomfortable sensation now. Maybe she'd developed a masochistic streak over time, like Kaname. 

' _Maybe I've inherited that from him_ ,' she contemplated wryly.

In any case, it taking walks had become a routine and Koharu found joy in her daytime walks even if she was always being supervised by two of the guards who were guarding the mansion at all times. They followed her at a distance whenever she went outside... or what they _believed_ was Koharu.

Unbeknownst to them, she could easily escape them whenever she wanted to and had done so many times in the past weeks. They were also unaware that the Pureblood sent out her familiars to find certain people and to spy on the senators.

It was mentally exhausting to split your mind for extended periods of time, but it was necessary if Koharu ever wanted to change the future. She wasn't going to sit still anymore, as if she was still in a cage, and just let things happen. This was her life and she refused to let other people use her for their plans or become a victim of the Plot.

Her own plan included becoming the head of the Hiō Clan because she'd probably need the economical resources and political power and reputation that came with the position. Even if the Hiō were feared more than other Purebloods, their origins dated back to the Ancestors of vampirekind, like the Kuran, for which they were also regarded with great respect in vampire society.

Shizuka had never held the position of the clan head officially and the other members of the Hiō clan were dormant at the moment. If Koharu introduced herself to vampire society as a Kuran like she'd done to Takuma – which had been a dumb and thoughtless move in retrospect – Kaname would have even more control over her because he was the current head of the Kuran clan, which she would become a member of. People would also assume that she was the only Kuran princess because they didn't know about Yūki, which would have all kinds of negative effects for Koharu and her younger relative in the future.

For one thing, Koharu would be expected to marry Kaname in order to continue the Kuran line, which would be pretty problematic once Yūki turned back into a vampire, even though she was Kaname's true fiancé. People's perceptions weren't easy to change.

Koharu also wasn't romantically interested in Kaname and doubted that she would ever be. It was ironic that she'd once had a small crush on the fictional character Kaname in her teenage years in her past life. Reality was another matter, though.

They got along well enough as tentative friends and 'cousins' but that was it on Koharu's part. In addition, he was already smitten with Yūki – which was rather creepy considering his age – and Koharu has never had any interest in _real_ men who were in love with another woman. It had always been one of the hugest turn-offs for her in her past life and nipped any romantic interest she'd shown in someone in the bud.

Furthermore, if Koharu introduced herself as a Kuran, she would come before Yūki in the line of succession. Koharu was the firstborn child of the true Kuran clan head, which made her the rightful heir of the title.

If Kaname went AWOL like in the series, it most likely wouldn't be her younger cousin but Koharu who would have to assume control over vampire society once the Senate was gone and the monarchy back in place. People would have known her for years at that point and might want Koharu and not Yūki to succeed the throne their grandfather had abolished so Ridō wouldn't become king.

Koharu didn't like that possible outcome and hoped that she'd be able to change things with her plans until then, but it _was_ a possibility, so better be safe than sorry and become known as a Hiō in vampire society, even if that came with its own problems.

In any case, one day Koharu would need her independence and a group of supporters that she could rely on, but it'd be a slow process to find people she could trust and caution was required, so the Senate didn't catch wind of it. Staying with the Ichijō family was equally advantageous as it was disadvantageous.

On one hand she was socially, economically and even politically dependant on Ichiō and Kaname at the moment, and was under constant surveillance, but on the other hand she was in the position to keep a closer eye on them, too, to a point and could involve herself with people she wouldn't be able to meet if she had gone into hiding somewhere like Shizuka.

Certainly, it would have made her life a lot easier for some time if she had just fled to a place far away from the Vampire Knight canon and had waited until it was all over – if you ignored that she was a Pureblood _vampire_ and would face a lot of problems if she tried to mingle with normal humans. And that either Kaname or Ridō, or any other power-hungry Pureblood might come after her anyway to absorb her powers and kill her.

Leaving everything behind would have come back to bite her in the ass one day, she just knew it. Koharu couldn't rely on what she knew about canon, simply because _she_ existed and she had already caused ripples voluntarily and involuntarily. This world wasn't the same as the story anymore.

Unpredictable outcomes meant danger, and despite her new life being somewhat bland, Koharu was grateful to be alive and didn't want to die anytime soon. And, like she'd told Kaname, she didn't like tragedies.

In conclusion, she'd decided to stay for good to better keep an eye on everything and get involved in the dangerous but slightly more predictable game her ancestor was playing. She also felt somewhat responsible for Shizuka and her future actions, and if Koharu stayed alone without any allies, she was a sitting duck. Even Purebloods needed supporters.

She had to tread very carefully while she was searching for dependable allies for the future and was continuing to play the role of the young and compliant Pureblood. Fortunately, she didn't have to pretend to be someone she was not due to her disposition, and only had to keep some things to herself.

At least, Koharu didn't have to worry about being hunted down by the lackeys of the Senate, or about being put on the elimination list of the equally corrupt Hunter Association while she was staying with the Ichijō family.

Spending a lot of her free time by going on sunlight walks or sitting in the cherry tree and dozing in the sun, though the guards found her odd for it, playing the flute, or reading one of the manga Takuma had leant her strengthened that image of being harmless she tried to project.

Other times she drew in the sketch book Honda-san had gotten for her per Koharu's request. Koharu was an example of peace and quiet. Or at least that was what they thought. Most of the time it wasn't the real Koharu anymore they were observing.

The guards from the Elder Council reported their observations back to the senators, being none the wiser that Koharu was using her familiars to spy on their masters – they only had to follow Ichiō's car to a Council meeting to find them – while she was outwardly pursuing her hobbies. Her guards didn't know they often didn't watch _her_ but the doppelgänger of herself that Koharu had created.

She almost felt as if she was in a spy film at times, especially whenever she used that shadow puppet, a doppelgänger of herself that she could control, as her substitute to slip away from her watchers.

She practised her power over plants and some of her other abilities in secret, away from the guards and the Ichijō estate. This was a precaution to ensure that the Senate wouldn't know what she was actually capable of.

Koharu sometimes wondered if Kaname had caught onto it. If someone could discern between a shadow puppet and her true self, then it was the other Pureblood. At times she had the feeling that she was being watched by him during practise but he never showed himself or mentioned it back at the estate.

While she wasn't eager about having to actually fight in the future and would have preferred to live a peaceful and quiet, non-violent life, Koharu knew that it would be foolish not to learn how to defend herself. She couldn't and didn't want to count on someone else to protect her.

Koharu was an adult woman at heart, who had fought her own battles in the past even if they weren't of the same nature as the ones she would fight in this life, and not some damsel in distress.

As a consequence of her decision not to be a burden on somebody again, she used one of her familiars to spy on a martial arts class she'd spotted through a window to learn at least some physical self-defence techniques, though the reborn woman was sure that she would rely more on her supernatural, magical abilities than those.

Koharu also practised how to suppress her presence completely, so she didn't run the risk of being discovered even if her shadow puppet had taken her place at the mansion and she took the form of her familiars to slip out of the building unseen.

Maybe controlling the guards with her will would have been less tedious than creating a doppelgänger every time Koharu wanted to leave the premises, but that was an ability she'd rather not give a try. She would only use it in case of an absolute emergency. Taking away someone's freedom to think or act was a vile thing to do, just like physically locking someone up.

Today, however, it was raining cats and dogs, and Koharu wasn't in the mood for a wet kimono and socks. So, she decided to forego her walk and training. Koharu remained inside the mansion and entered the living room. She turned on the TV and zapped through the programs, curious what would be on.

 _'I'm allowed to be lazy once in a while,'_ she thought to herself.

Koharu didn't have a TV back at the Hiō compound and wanted to know what kind of entertainment programs existed here. She hadn't recognized any of the manga Takuma had shown her.

Soon, she was engrossed in some kind of bizarre prank game show and had to snigger about it. However, at some point Koharu sensed a familiar vampire approaching the living room.

 _'Hmm, I could use this opportunity to find out how good I've become at erasing my presence...'_ she mused.

In a good temper, Koharu jumped off the sofa and then rolled underneath it to hide while she concealed her presence and scent as well as she was able to. She couldn't help but feel amused at her own childish action, and replayed the theme song of a spy film she'd watched in her past life in her mind because she was feeling particularly playful after watching that show on TV.

_'Maybe acting all secretly and sneaky all the time is getting to my head? Well, it's not like a small prank will hurt someone.'_

Takuma entered the living room and seemed to be looking around, as if in search for something. "I could have sworn..." he mumbled to himself before he approached the television that was still displaying the game show.

The young vampire watched the program for a moment. "Oh, that looks entertaining..." he mumbled and looked around once more before he sat down on the sofa Koharu was using as her hiding place.

The Aristocrat seemed unaware of Koharu, she noted with satisfaction. She kept hiding herself and her presence for a while longer, until Takuma was engrossed in the game show. Seeing how the Aristocrat didn't suspect a thing, Koharu felt a little mischievous and crept quietly forward. She stretched out her arm and quickly gripped the teen vampire's right ankle.

Takuma immediately jumped up out of fright and let out a startled yelp before he pulled his legs onto the sofa and out of Koharu's reach. Too bad.

"Wh-what...? Wh-who...?" he stammered.

With an amused smile Koharu released the hold on her presence and scent.

"This is..." Takuma quickly picked it up. In the next moment blond hair and forest green eyes appeared in her visual field, as well as an upside-down face.

Koharu looked at him with barely hidden amusement and Takuma blinked back with a puzzled look. She sniggered at his expression that became even funnier when she rolled out from underneath the sofa. Her kimono made it hard to crawl and she would probably look like a revengeful Japanese ghost if she tried to.

 _'To hell with my Pureblood dignity. At least in front of Takuma I want to be more like my true self,'_ she thought wryly.

Takuma's dumbfounded expression was definitely worth sacrificing it. In addition, Koharu knew now that she'd succeeded in completely suppressing her presence.

Takuma regained his bearings when the Pureblood attempted to stand up and held out his hand to her to help her up. "You gave me a fright, Koharu-chan!" he pouted, his expression being one of mild anger mixed with incredulous amusement. "Why did you do that?"

She pointed wordlessly at the TV behind her.

Takuma once more looked at the program. "...Koharu-chan, you shouldn't startle people out of their wits just because you've seen it in a game show." His tone held a light reprimand, but the Level B's eyes were brimming with mirth.

"Your shocked expression was very cute, Takuma-kun," she told him with a smile, feeling a little bolder than usual.

The teen vampire blushed lightly in response, which she found precious.

"Koharu-chan, you shouldn't find somebody's shocked expression cute! Th-that's not very nice!" Despite his words, he could barely contain his happy smile at the strange compliment from her.

Ah, yes, very precious.

"...But I'm glad that you feel comfortable enough around me to show me more of your true self. You're very aloof when there are servants or guards around."

Koharu felt a little bashful at his words and about what she was about to say. "Well, we are friends... right? And you won't tell on me... right?" She liked to believe that they had bonded over their mutual love for manga, tea ceremonies, and joint efforts to get Kaname to stop reading his dusty, depressing dramas.

Koharu fiddled with a strand of her silvery-white hair and felt heat building up in her cheeks. The young vampire was a little nervous about his answer, but she wanted his confirmation to her childish inquiry.

She had been a young adult in her past life, but for the first few years as a Pureblood she had hardly remembered it until something that triggered her memories had occurred. As a result, Koharu's behaviour and personality were a strange mix of who she had been in her past life and who she was now – a young pureblood who had lived in almost complete isolation until some time ago.

"Of course we are!" Takuma replied with another beaming smile and a load of positive emotions and sincerity that she could sense from him, calming her nerves with his confirmation. "Your secrets are safe with me."

Koharu had the feeling that she could trust Takuma – her intuition rarely let her down – but she'd wanted to hear it from him. Just because she was taught that she was supposed to act dignified at all times and shouldn't reveal her true thoughts or feelings, so no one could use them to take advantage of her, she wasn't going to be that way around everyone. That kind of behaviour was a recipe for loneliness and disaster.

Koharu didn't necessarily want the servants to see past her mask, because they reported everything back to Ichiō, but she didn't mind showing her emotions or her true self in front of Takuma. As for her plans for the future... well, that was another matter. For the moment she would keep them to herself.

While Takuma was his own person, not a lackey, and wasn't afraid to speak up when the Ancestor went too far, he was also Kaname's loyal best friend. Knowing her secrets would put Takuma in a very delicate and troublesome position. Koharu didn't want to force him to choose between them.

Not yet, at least.

She wasn't afraid that Takuma would report her weaknesses to Kaname – the other Pureblood had seen plenty of them already and she doubted that he would ask Takuma for them or that the Aristocrat would reveal them if asked. That was all that she wanted.

Koharu also hoped that Takuma would do the same for her in the future as he was doing for Kaname. That he would scold her if she ever lost her way and her plans became twisted. And that he would become such a close friend to her as well, even if he would ultimately choose Kaname over her.

"By the way, I like that game show, too. Humans come up with such interesting concepts, don't you agree?" Takuma changed the topic, having said everything that needed to be said.

Koharu nodded in agreement. "They do."

"Is this show the reason why you are up early today, Koharu-chan?"

"Not precisely. I usually take walks or relax in the sunlight at this time, but the weather is too bad for that today," she explained.

"Heh? Doesn't the sunlight bother you?"

"A little, but any discomfort is worth it. The world during the day is entirely different from the world during the night."

Koharu probably only liked the sunlight because of her nostalgia and human past. It was very uncomfortable on the eyes and skin as a vampire and getting up before dusk clashed with her now naturally nocturnal lifestyle. It was like waking up before dawn as a human but worse.

"Hmm... Would you mind if I join you sometimes, Koharu-chan? I think I would like to explore the world during the day, the world that humans see and live in, a little more, too."

She smiled warmly back at the teen. "Not at all, Takuma-kun. I would like the company."

"Great! I hope the weather is better tomorrow." His sparkling smile was infectious.

Together they watched the game show and shared laughs until it was time for breakfast. Slowly but surely, the young Aristocrat was earning himself a place in her heart.

* * *

It became routine that Takuma and Koharu went out together a few times a week in the afternoon, or watched the game show together when the weather was bad. Either they would meet in the living room or Takuma would fetch her from her room.

When she was in Kaname's company, she tried to figure out what he had in mind for her and get him to read one of the romcom novels she'd acquired through Honda-san. She even went so far as to sneakily swap his depressing books with them. Takuma had been all for it, too and suggested a few that Kaname might like.

At first, Kaname showed her the same indulgence a parent would show their child and was entertained by her futile tries to change his taste in literature. But as Koharu was getting better at hiding his novels around the mansion and left clues for him to turn the search into a game of treasure hunt, he became slightly exasperated with her, or at least Koharu suspected so.

Why? She couldn't find her flute and she was pretty sure that Kaname was the culprit. He must have hidden it out of retribution. She'd already searched for it by scent inside the mansion – the instrument smelled of her – and had asked the staff if they had seen it but to no avail.

Koharu entered the picture room, where Kaname and Takuma were playing chess together. "Have you seen Takehiko?" she didn't waste a second and came straight to the point.

Takuma furrowed his brows. "Who is Takehiko?"

Kaname kept up his poker face, but Koharu could tell that he wanted to know the same thing, judging from the interested gleam in his russet eyes.

Koharu's face lost colour as she realised that she had just said the name that she'd given her flute out loud. It was a quirk of hers to name objects, mostly plushies, that were of importance to her ever since she'd been a human child.

She'd lost that quirk when she grew into a teen in the past, but ever since being reborn, Koharu had picked it up again. Maybe she'd just been that lonely... No one could stay in pretty much solitary confinement for years without developing some issues.

 _'Oh no, this is embarrassing,'_ she fidgeted in her place. _'My friends at school teased me endlessly about it once they found out about my childhood quirk because of my sister.'_

Koharu's pale cheeks regained a rosy hue when she began to quietly explain, "Um... Takehiko is my flute."

"You have named your shinobue?" Kaname inquired incredulously as he lifted a brow, and she nodded while glancing to the side, too embarrassed to speak.

"Awww! That is adorable, Koharu-chan!" Takuma swooned.

She got even redder at his remark. This stupid childish quirk of hers!

"No, I haven't seen your flute," Kaname answered thoughtfully. "When and where did you play it last, Koharu?"

He appeared innocent, as if he didn't have a hand in Takehiko's disappearance. Or Kaname was just very good at pretending. Still, Koharu thought back on it like he'd suggested.

"Yesterday in my room... No, this morning at the cherry tree."

She hadn't searched outside yet. Her flute could have slipped out of her obi when she had been there earlier with Takuma.

Koharu turned to the window, only to see that it was drizzling outside. That wasn't good at all because the bamboo flute could get damaged by the water.

_'I need to get it fast!'_

"Koharu-chan should I hel–" Takuma began, but Koharu had already used her telekinetic powers to throw open the window and had jumped out of it not a second later to get to her object of desire faster.

She was glad that she was wearing a kimono, so she didn't have to worry about potentially flashing guards on the ground her underwear as she flew through the air. All vampires could jump very high and far, so Koharu guessed that the others wouldn't see more than what they already knew she was capable of. She doubted that Kaname or Takuma would mention her telekinesis to someone.

Koharu stayed in the air for as long as she could without making it seem suspicious. She was able to levitate for a short amount of time, but she didn't use that power at the moment. Of course, she also didn't part her consciousness and transformed her flesh into a flock of her familiars to fly.

The Pureblood didn't want the Senate to know that her familiar manifested as a white dove, or that she was able to create familiars and change her form for several reasons. Koharu didn't want them to get spotted when she was using them for spying, although doves were luckily fairly common animals. Seeing the actual extend of her powers could also be a reason for Ichiō to confine her inside the mansion.

She was also kind of embarrassed that her familiar, a manifestation of her subconsciousness, was such a symbolic animal even if it represented her state of mind and wishes for this life perfectly.

Koharu was getting wet from the rain, but at the moment she didn't care. Even the joy she usually felt while darting through the air was dimmed by the concern for her precious belonging. She landed lightly right in front of the cherry tree, using only a bit of her power to make it a smooth landing.

Levitating was a lot easier than to change her whole form. Creating a familiar or becoming a flock of them had been the hardest Pureblood skill to master as of yet, together with the creation of a doppelgänger, but it was certainly one of the most intriguing in Koharu's opinion.

Koharu didn't need to search for long. Her shinobue laid at the base of the tree, safe from the rain. She let out a relieved sigh as she picked it up. It was a little damp but drying it and letting it rest on some newspapers ought to do the job.

On the way back to the mansion she got even wetter, but was surprised when Takuma met her halfway with an umbrella, the guards following him like dogs at a distance. From the wet spots on his clothes and his slightly accelerated breathing and heartbeat she could tell that he had been running to catch up to her. The teen vampire held the umbrella over her even though Koharu was already drenched.

"Are you alright?" Takuma asked her while they walked back, and Koharu nodded in response. She was cold but Takuma's care made her feel a little warmer. "What about Takehiko-chan? Did you find it?"

She was surprised that Takuma was using the name she'd given her flute... without laughing some more about it. It was a truly ridiculous habit.

"Yes," she held up the sleeve, that she used to protect the instrument from getting wetter, to show him the flute that peeked out of her obi.

"I'm glad you found it. It's very important to you, isn't it? You play it all the time."

Once more Koharu nodded. "It was a gift from Kurenai Masaru, my music teacher."

Masaru-sensei, Kurenai Maria's father, had been the one who had taught her how to play the shinobue. She'd exchanged letters with Maria through him and could probably consider him and his daughter her first friends in this world, even if Maria and Koharu had never met in person.

A few years ago Masaru-sensei had suddenly stopped coming to the Hiō compound, which made Koharu worry that the Senate had somehow gotten wind of their secrets and had cut off any interaction between them. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to create familiars back then, so she didn't know where he and Maria lived and couldn't check on them.

"You must have liked the teacher then."

A small smile spread over her lips. "I did. Thank you for coming to fetch me with an umbrella, Takuma-kun."

"That's what friends are for."

* * *

It was after a long walk on a sunny afternoon that Takuma and Koharu decided it would probably be for the best to get some parasols. The exposure to intense light for an extended amount of time had made them a little dizzy and they had even gotten sunburns though they healed the moment they stepped into the mansion.

Ichiō said that they should have taken precautions if they so foolishly decided to play in the sunlight like human children. However, instead of asking the staff to get them what was necessary, they would make the trip to a town themselves on one of their days off – Koharu had insisted.

At around 1 p.m. the limousine arrived at the town. Koharu was a little sleepy because it was in the midst of her usual sleeping time, but her excitement overshadowed her tiredness. Kaname was reading another one of his dreary books, but Takuma was in an upbeat mood as well and watched the sights and humans they passed with almost as much curiosity as her.

Even though it was a little cloudy, the midday sun hurt Koharu's eyes like always as soon as she'd left the vehicle, but she didn't complain while was taking in the town. She'd seen towns of this world through the eyes of her familiars, but had never visited one in person until now.

The houses were made out of stone, as were the streets, and the architecture of the buildings actually reminded her a little of her own home town from the past. What she hadn't been prepared for, however, was the noise and the many different smells. It was some kind of market day and the streets were full of humans out for shopping and vendors who were trying to sell their wares.

The sensory input was overwhelming. Koharu wasn't used to being around more than a handful of people at a time or large crowds anymore nor was she used to perceiving human crowds with her sharp vampire senses. In fact, it was the first time that she was personally so close to humans in this life.

And it was distinctly different from being around vampires. She hated herself for even thinking this, but above all they smelled _delectable_. Incredibly so. Koharu's throat was suddenly uncomfortably dry and she was thirsty, so very thirsty. Her throat ached because she was so parched.

"...Koharu-chan?" Takuma bent down to her eye level and into her personal space as he inspected her with a worried expression. "Are you alright?"

Koharu was clutching the frilly white collar of her lilac kimono. "It's... just... a lot to take in," she answered vaguely. It wasn't a lie, but definitely not her only concern at the moment.

A look of understanding crossed the Aristocrat's features. "Being around humans, especially so many at once can be overwhelming at first."

"Your vampire instincts are awakening, aren't they, Koharu?" Kaname asked lowly next to her, being able to pinpoint what was bothering her right away.

Koharu tensed as he said out loud what she'd been suspecting for the past few days. Honda-san had almost collapsed this morning when Koharu took a large amount of life energy from her. It hadn't been anywhere near enough to satisfy the craving that was getting stronger and stronger with each passing day, but Koharu didn't want to accept the inevitable.

"...Yes," she admitted reluctantly.

It was one of the reasons why she had insisted on going into a town _now_. Koharu feared that if she waited a little longer, her thirst for blood would awaken and make it impossible for some more time to personally go out into the outside world.

Even though she could have visited the town by herself, she'd wanted to do it in the company of the two other vampires. Not only because it would be more fun that way, but also because Koharu had been a little scared to meet humans in person without anyone to restrain her if her vampire instincts suddenly took over. She hadn't known how she would react to being face to face with humans.

"We should return to the mansion then," Kaname suggested, but Koharu shook her head in disagreement.

"Please, let us stay for some time longer. I can still control myself. I just need a moment to... adjust." She was pretty sure of that, but was relieved that Kaname and Takuma were here with her.

"Why don't we go to a café until Koharu-chan feels more comfortable? There aren't as many people there as on the streets, and we can order something to drink, too, which might help her," Takuma suggested.

Kaname observed Koharu for a few more heartbeats and she did her best to swallow her discomfort as she returned his gaze. "Fine."

Koharu was glad that the Ancestor didn't cancel the tour. As they made their way through the crowd, they received a lot of attention from the humans they passed. They even made way for the three of them, either because they subconsciously sensed that something was wrong with them, or because the humans were starstruck.

Koharu had almost forgotten how humans usually reacted to vampires, specifically Purebloods and Aristocrats, in the series. Being stared at or chatted about by strangers as if she was a celebrity was more than weird in real life and made her feel oddly self-conscious, as if she had something on her face.

She let out a breath of relief when the three of them found and entered a cafe. Once more they drew the attention of many of the other costumers as they entered the establishment and took seat at a table in a more secluded area of the cafe.

The waitress was stunned for a moment before she hurried over to their table. She didn't stop staring at them while they were orderings drinks and cake. She seemed to have taken a fancy to Kaname.

 _'Oh my God. Do I have to live as an attention magnet for the rest of my life?'_ was Koharu's horrible realisation. _'How do Kaname and Takuma deal with this all the time? Maybe I should put a paper bag over my head or wear a mask the next time I enter a town... Or would that draw more attention?'_ she contemplated.

Just a minute later, because the waitress was eager to please, Koharu sipped on her iced tea and was relieved that it helped with her painfully dry throat and thirst. Keeping a distance from large groups of humans improved her condition, too. She confirmed that she was feeling better when Takuma asked her about it.

"But... is it like this all the time?" Koharu whispered and glanced at another table, where a group of teenage girls was taking pictures of the three of them without even asking the three vampires for permission. Rude.

"Pretty much. Humans are very lively and can also be little mischievous and impetuous at times. Don't you think that they are cute?" Takuma smiled and gave the group of girls a little wave with his hand, which made them blush and squeal.

" _Did you see that?!"_

" _He waved at us~!"_

"Not really." Koharu looked at him in complete disbelief and mild disgust.

How was someone who acted like a paparazzi or fangirl cute? She liked her privacy. Some servants were intrusive enough.

"What do you think about humans in general then, Koharu?" Kaname asked her, his gaze boring into hers.

Koharu's answer to this question was important to him, she could tell. Yūki was currently a human after all, and for Haruka, Juri's and her sake he would establish the Night Class.

"Hmm... I think that depends on the human." There were good ones and bad ones, just like with vampires.

"You didn't answer my question," Kaname pointed out. Was this not enough of an answer for him?

"I did. I can't generalise humans, just like I can't generalise vampires. Everyone has a different personality, and I have to meet the person first before I can decide whether I like them or not. Vampire or human, it doesn't matter," Koharu elaborated.

"I like that way of thinking," Takuma voiced his approval.

"You don't think that humans are inferior to us then?" Kaname further inquired.

How could she ever do that with her past? "No, I don't. They may not have the same capabilities as us and seem frail compared to vampires, but that doesn't make them inferior or weak in my eyes. Humans have their own strengths," she told him straight to his face.

Koharu had to think of her human parents and her younger sister, as well as her friends that had been with her until the end. No one could ever call them weak.

Takuma nodded in complete agreement. "Right? Despite their short lifespans and frail bodies they can create amazing things... like this." Using his fork, he held up a piece of the appetizing strawberry cake he'd ordered, and she could almost see sparkles around Takuma as he did so.

Kaname had that slight, barely there smile on his face, apparently satisfied with her answer. "If there was a school where you could attend classes side by side with humans, would you want to attend it?"

Oh, wow, was the Night Class already being established? "Hmm, that sounds intriguing... Yes, I think I would give it a try. I want to live in peace with the humans – we shouldn't repeat our mistakes of the past." Namely, the bloody history and wars between humans and vampires.

Takuma exchanged a conspiratorially look with Kaname, but they didn't tell her about the Night Class or that its establishment was under way.

The small shopping trip continued soon, and while Koharu felt slightly better now because she knew what to expect, she was still a little overwhelmed with all the new impressions and could feel the dryness in the back of her throat, the thirst, acting up. But it was bearable and she refused to cancel the trip.

They quickly found a clothing store that also sold parasols. Takuma commented that the lolita dresses that went together with the parasols would suit her, then the owner spotted her and gushed over Koharu, and finally Kaname told her to try the dresses on. One thing led to another, and now they were on a full-blown shopping tour with her being the dress-up doll.

She wasn't particularly a fan of shopping but Takuma seemed to enjoy seeing her in different outfits, so she indulged him and had fun as well, though she did get tired of trying on clothes after a while.

Kaname, that evil guy, sent her a thinly veiled, slightly gleeful look from the chair the owner had brought him as he pulled out one of his novels – where did he even keep them? – and began to read. She narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion.

 _'Is this his retribution for hiding his books? I guess I do deserve it...'_ Koharu thought it over. _'Next time I'm going to hide his novels even better and make the clues a lot more complicated.'_

They ended up buying four different parasols and eight complete outfits, which was excessive in her opinion but Takuma insisted. Afterwards they went into a bookshop and bought some manga and novels.

Inside a flower shop Koharu also found some gardening utensils and flower seeds that she could sow and grow by herself. She got some tips from the florist, who told her to come by at any time when she had questions and also gifted her a rose.

Yes, it would definitely take some time to get used to this... attention.

If a vampire was in contact with a flower for too long, their aura would destroy the flower and make it wither, but Koharu didn't have the same problem thanks to her heritage. When she left the flower shop to join Kaname and Takuma, who had waited outside for her, Koharu gave them a bright smile.

She wanted to try and create her own bed of flowers, having never gardened before.

* * *

Two days after their shopping trip Koharu awoke with an unbearable hunger. Her throat was painfully dry and her whole body was demanding for something to quench the thirst that she even felt in her bones.

As she sat up in bed, she clutched her throat and panted to try and alleviate the uncomfortable sensation, but the ravenous want, her thirst for a certain liquid, couldn't be ignored.

Koharu licked over her dry lips and felt the now slightly elongated, pointy canines in her mouth. The darkened room, that she could normally see perfectly in as if it was midday, had an unusual reddish tinge to it.

Red like the liquid she craved. Her vampire instincts, her thirst for blood had awakened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Pureblood powers are not often explored in stories even though they are very interesting, so this is my take on them. Thank you for reading, and I hope I'll see you again in the next chapter! Feedback is always appreciated :)


	5. A Craving For More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the support so far, my dear readers! Have fun reading this chapter!

Koharu tried to remain calm as she left her bed and entered her bathroom but she wasn't very successfully with that. She was already dreading her situation.

The Pureblood felt the painful thirst most acutely in her throat, but she could also feel it in the rest of her body, even in her bones. The reborn woman had the feeling that if it continued for much longer, she would go crazy. The want for blood was a lot worse than the craving for life energy she was used to.

Koharu knew that it was probably futile to drink water to quench her thirst, but she tried it anyway. Like expected, it didn't help at all. The craving for blood was still there.

Koharu wanted to knock her head against the wall. As if going through puberty for a second time and at a slower pace wasn't already bad enough. It was a scant consolation that Koharu didn't have to worry about pimples and her period, though.

Vampires apparently didn't menstruate, like most other mammals. It made sense in an odd kind of way. Vampires required blood to live, so losing blood for a week once a month would be rather inconvenient, not only because other vampires would be able to smell it.

Koharu let out a suffering sigh as she thought about her situation. _'Ugh, this is going to be an absolute pain, literally and figuratively... Couldn't my vampire instincts have stayed asleep for a while longer?'_

She wished she could just skip the next few weeks.

Yes, _weeks_. Her maid, Honda-san, had been prudent enough to inform Koharu just the day before that it took a young vampire about a month to gain control over the impulse to drink blood.

Of course, the Pureblood couldn't leave the closer vicinity of the Ichijō Estate in this condition. She didn't want to risk accidentally coming across a human for obvious reasons. Koharu didn't even want to imagine what would happen if she entered a town in this state.

Per Ancestor Law it was forbidden to turn humans without their permission into vampires, because it had once ended in the human-vampire wars. Forcibly turning a human into a vampire was considered one of the greatest crimes a Pureblood could commit.

Yet, many still did it.

Shizuka, for example, had turned or killed the human slaves the Senate had supplied her with simply to feed on their blood. These slaves the Senate had bought for her had been her only blood source, so she didn't have much of a choice if she didn't want to starve herself.

The humans who'd survived Shizuka's bite and the blood loss turned into vampires, became the Senate's slaves, and in time degenerated to Level E because they didn't receive Shizuka's, their master's, blood. It was a truly despicable system and Koharu would have shared the same fate as Shizuka if she'd stayed in her cage, so she was rather thankful that she was freed by Kaname for whatever reasons.

Koharu cleaned her face with cold water and dried it with a towel afterwards. When the Pureblood finally looked into the mirror above the sink, she was met with her reflection that had creepy, blood red glowing eyes instead of the icy cobalt blue ones she was used to.

Koharu wondered how it was even possible that they gleamed like this, but more than that she was disturbed by the memories that seeing those hungry crimson eyes brought back.

She had stared into eyes exactly like that in the past and what had followed that eye contact had been somewhat traumatising.

**'Yes, yes...! Continue screaming for help and defying me like that! Just like Jūri.'**

Koharu shuddered in disgust at the memories and the uncomfortable sensation on her neck the sight of her vampire eyes awoke and returned to her room, being resolved to spend the rest of her day in misery and wrapped in her silken blankets like a burrito.

If she held out for that long. The thirst was impossible to ignore and she felt too hot to be comfortable.

Maybe she should call her personal maid Honda-san instead of waiting almost two more hours for her to show up?

Just when Koharu was contemplating what to do, her senses picked up the familiar presence and smell of another vampire who was soon at her door. It was about four in the afternoon and there was only one person who would knock at her door at this hour, or who smelt like _that_.

So very delicious...

Even with all of that distance between them, Koharu could hear Takuma's heartbeat from behind the door, the blood that rushed through his veins. Her throat got even drier in response and felt like it was on fire together with the rest of her body. She craved the young Aristocrat's blood more than anything else she'd ever wanted.

This was bad, really bad. Koharu was not ready for this.

"Koharu-chan, are you ready for our walk?" Takuma asked her, unaware of her internal struggle with her instincts.

She swallowed a few times but refrained from drawing too deep breaths because she would only inhale more of Takuma's scent if she did. Her control over her telekinesis slipped a little, which damaged the glass of her windows and made cracks in the furniture.

"Koharu-chan? Is everything alright?" Takuma must have heard the sound of the splintering glass and wood with his keen vampire hearing.

"...No," she replied with a hint of annoyance aimed at her body.

"What's wrong?" the Aristocrat asked worriedly.

"Vampire instincts."

"Oh!" he said in a tone of complete understanding and spoke up again after a few moments of silence. "Um... Should I wake up Kaname? Usually, family members help out when the craving for blood awakens in a young vampire. My parents and Ojii-san were the ones who helped me through my impulse period."

"..."

Well, she could definitely not rely on her parents to help her out, and Koharu wasn't sure if she should ask Kaname just yet because of what she might see in his memories. They would also have to wake Kaname first and he could be rather grumpy right after waking up. She wasn't sure whether she wanted to deal with that at the moment.

"Or..." Takuma continued nervously, "...you could also drink my blood if you want."

She blinked in astonishment. Was he really offering this?

Koharu wasn't sure how to feel about Takuma's offer. Sure, she knew that for vampires it was a sign of closeness, affection, and trust to give your blood to someone, a way to share your feelings of whatever kind, but Koharu wasn't quite comfortable with that idea.

Her human past and past experiences of getting her blood sucked against her will were influencing her thoughts about it.

Koharu was the most comfortable around and closest to Takuma in this household, and she liked the human-like vampire a lot. The mere thought of hurting him in any way was unpleasant, even if Takuma seemed perfectly fine with it or he wouldn't have offered her his blood.

If Koharu was being honest, a very greedy inhuman part of her also _wanted_ Takuma's blood exactly because she liked her friend. It was a very twisted, contradictory feeling that had to originate from her vampiric side. It unsettled Koharu that she wanted to hurt him even if it was just to drink his blood.

_'Did I inherit this trait from the man who sired me? Or does every vampire feel this way towards the people they cherish?'_ she wondered.

Koharu vaguely remembered reading about that in the manga.

The Pureblood must have taken too long to answer him, because Takuma continued, "I could also call Honda-sa–" Takuma's proposal was interrupted when the door to Koharu's room was opened by an invisible power.

Against her better judgement she'd decided to let Takuma in and accept his offer. Koharu couldn't resist for much longer and she wasn't thinking straight because of the thirst and her urge to drink blood.

Maybe she would regret this later, but there was only one thing she wanted at the moment.

"I would like your blood... if that's truly alright with you," Koharu said quietly as she crawled out of her blanket-cocoon and sat up in bed, brushing her messy silvery-white locks back.

She was still wearing her high-collared white nightgown, but that wasn't unusual at this time.

Takuma smiled at her in reassurance as their gazes met and she could detect a hint of pink on his cheeks. "Of course it is! I wouldn't have offered it if I didn't mean it."

With nothing in between them his scent and the sound of his heartbeat hit Koharu full force. The urge to drink Takuma's blood was becoming overwhelming. Koharu clutched at her mattress hard enough to pierce through the fabric with her fingers, so she wouldn't lunge at the Aristocrat like a starved animal at its prey.

She watched Takuma as he closed the door and came closer and closer until he sat down at the edge of her bed. When the Aristocrat opened the first few buttons of his shirt and revealed the smooth skin of his neck area, Koharu could see the veins with blood that ran underneath it.

The thirst was unbearable by this point but she gave him another searching look before she completely lost control over herself.

"Go ahead, Koharu-chan," Takuma encouraged her. "It's okay."

That was all the encouragement Koharu needed to let go, unable to fight the craving for blood any longer. She placed her hands on Takuma's shoulders and bit into his neck without hesitating or really thinking about her instinctual action. Her newly grown fangs easily pierced through the skin and drew blood.

An unknown but heavenly flavour burst across her tongue, and it was delectable enough that Koharu forgot what it was. She immediately lapped the liquid up and began to suck at the wound.

Koharu hastily gulped down the warm blood that entered her mouth. Finally, her dry throat was being soothed, and the bone-deep thirst she'd been feeling was being quenched. Koharu mentally sighed in relief as the painful craving began to subside.

Slowly, the borders between her and Takuma seemed to vanish, and Koharu could feel some of his emotions more clearly than ever. He could hardly contain his elation and joy at being able to help her and at being the one whose blood was being consumed by Koharu.

The Pureblood could also sense Takuma's affection for her and a strong feeling of possessiveness that was directed at her. She'd wasn't bothered by her friend's sentiments. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

Koharu was very possessive of the people she cared about, too, and was flattered that Takuma would feel that way towards her and that her platonic feelings of affection for her friend were truly returned.

Apart from a few scenes of Takuma, Kaname and her, or just the two of them, she also saw a man and a woman that both resembled Takuma in the teen vampire's memories. Koharu had seen them on a photo before – they were his parents. She wondered if he missed them.

It made her think of Shizuka and her parents from her past life. What were they doing at the moment? Was her younger sister Julie fine? She'd be in her forties now...

Koharu took two more gulps of blood before she felt satisfied and removed her elongated fangs from the Aristocrat's neck. Blood trickled from the two small wounds she'd caused and she licked it up before she even registered what she was doing. Not a second later the two holes healed right in front of her eyes.

Koharu's terrible thirst was quenched now and she felt more like herself and in control again. She noticed that the reddish tint to her sight was gone as well. However, now that her mind was clear, she felt embarrassed and a little guilty as she drew back to face Takuma.

He was paler than usual but smiled brightly at her, as if Koharu had done him a favour instead of stealing his life force from him. She knew from her own experience that getting your blood sucked by someone felt quite painful, so how could he smile at her like that? Was her friend really that happy that she'd fed on his blood?

Koharu internally sighed. _'Suck it up and don't be a whiny noodle about something that is completely normal for vampires,'_ she told herself.

It wasn't as if she didn't have enough time to come to terms with being a vampire, even if it hadn't involved blood drinking until now.

"Are you alright, Takuma-kun?" Koharu asked him a little sadly. "Did I take too much?"

He gave her a good-natured smile at her concern. "Oh, I'm fine, Koharu-chan. What about you? Are you still thirsty?"

Koharu shook her head.

"Great!"

"It looks like my assistance wasn't needed then," Kaname said while he was casually leaning against the door frame of Koharu's room in his pyjama, that consisted of a black shirt and beige jogging pants.

His hair looked more ruffled than usual, as if he'd just gotten out of bed.

"Good morning, Kaname! You're up early today. We didn't wake you, did we?" Takuma turned around to face him, as if the other Pureblood had not just appeared out of thin air.

"The smell of your blood was hard to miss," Kaname deadpanned with crossed arms before he turned his gaze to Koharu. "You should not leave the estate until the impulse period is over and you can control your urge to drink blood."

Koharu nodded in agreement, her expression becoming more grave. "I don't want to risk coming across a human and doing something unforgivable to them."

Surprise flickered across Takuma's features before he alternated his gaze between the two Purebloods.

The Kuran ancestor regarded her with a long look. "It's good that you understand your situation."

Koharu left the two of them to get ready in her bathroom and quietly closed the door behind her.

* * *

Maybe she was being a little dramatic, but Koharu chose to wear her only black dress that day – one of the Lolita dresses they had bought a few days earlier – because it fit her mood.

Wearing black would also ensure that no blood stains could be seen on her dress if the thirst acted up and she needed to drink blood again. Her nightgown had gotten stained because she'd been a little messy while consuming Takuma's blood, and she didn't want to run around the house with visibly bloodstained clothes.

Kaname seemed to pick up on her line of thought and mood and was mildly amused about it, which disgruntled Koharu. She was going to hide that new dreary, depressing drama, that he'd bought on their shopping trip, in retaliation.

She also disliked that Ichiō offered to buy humans for her at lunch, so Koharu wouldn't have to rely on Takuma and Kaname to give her blood for the next weeks. They were just a few years older than her and still teens in vampire society's eyes after all, and Ichiō thought that it would be a troublesome situation for all of them if she relied on the two boys for blood.

Koharu was angered by this though she could see the logic behind Asatō's reasoning. Still, it took every bit of her self-control not to glare at the Elder or let her control over her powers slip when she politely but firmly refused that offer.

While Koharu managed not to damage anything with her telekinesis even though her emotions were running high, the room got a few degrees colder. Kaname watched her the whole time as Koharu silently struggled to keep up her calm, composed facade in front of Ichiō.

Thankfully, Takuma disliked his grandfather's suggestion as well and told him so before he whisked Koharu off to his room once they were done with lunch.

The young Aristocrat distracted her with his manga, so he must have recognized her silent fuming at Ichiō and his offer, and was vaguely aware of how she felt about biting and turning humans now. Still, something else managed to bother her.

"By the way, Takuma-kun, you should really clean up your room," Koharu advised him as she glanced at the worn clothes that were strewn all over his floor.

_'I guess that teen boys will be boys, no matter if they are human or vampire,'_ she thought in wry amusement.

Takuma smiled, not being bothered at all by the dirty laundry. "Oh, it's alright. You see, they're made of the finest silk from–"

"–That's not the point here, Takuma-kun," she interrupted him and gave him a strict look. "Don't leave collecting your worn underwear and socks to the poor maids, and put your dirty laundry in the laundry basket in your bathroom, please."

Takuma had the decency to blush and laughed sheepishly at Koharu's admonishment. "Umm... I'll try."

Koharu continued in a softer tone, "Thank you for trying to distract me and understanding me. You see... the Senate supplied Okaa-sama with humans, or rather, sacrifices, every day, that either ended up dead or became vampires who ultimately turned into Level Es. It upset me to witness that and to know that I would one day be forced to do the same as long as I remained in that cage. Yusuke-san, my mother's lover who was very kind to me, was also one of these sacrifices once and he really loathed being a vampire..."

She lowered her eyes. "I... I'd hate to do that to a human just to assuage my thirst for blood. That's why I'm very grateful that you and Kaname are willing to give me yours and are helping me through this period," Koharu revealed as she looked up at Takuma again.

Of course, having once been a human herself played a big part in this dislike as well.

The Aristocrat's forest green eyes had widened at Koharu's unusually long explanation and revelation, and he seemed to see her in a new light afterwards, or perhaps understand her better.

"Koharu-chan... I'm happy you trusted me enough to share this with me," Takuma said and gave her a warm smile.

* * *

Later that day during their dance lessons, Koharu's thirst for blood acted up again. This time her dance partner Kaname was her willing victim and led her to a room close by so they had their privacy while Koharu drank his blood, for which she was grateful for.

Koharu was also glad about her foresight – at least, the blood stains couldn't be seen on the dark fabric of her dress though a vampire could easily smell them.

In any case, drinking blood from Kaname was a little awkward though the heady taste of his pure blood was addicting. Koharu could understand why a vampire would crave a Pureblood's blood while she was swallowing the luscious red liquid.

Once again Koharu was able to sense some of her victim's feelings. She could tell from his blood that Kaname wished that it was another girl who was drinking his blood, as well as feel his longing and love for this other person who could be none other than Yūki.

Koharu felt Kaname's deep loneliness that was so similar to hers, but was more like an ocean compared to her small lake.

He was also tired, so very tired.

Koharu recognized the sentiment because she'd felt like that once, too, back when she was human, when she was Lara. It was shortly before she'd died due to leukaemia, after battling against the illness for more than a year.

Back then she'd been tired after fighting for so long, and even though she'd wanted nothing more than to live, she was also relieved when her suffering, that also made her friends and family suffer, finally came to an end.

It baffled her that the Ancestor's feelings were so similar to hers despite everything he'd done and would do in the future if she didn't change something. Actively or passively.

Koharu stopped consuming Kaname's blood once her thirst had been sated.

Although it could have been a result of seeing an image of her deranged 'father' pouring broken baby Kaname's blood into Ancestor Kaname's coffin, and seeing Ancestor Kaname's mummified form reflected in Ridō's heterochromatic eyes.

It was sickening and terrifying to watch how an actual baby got killed in such a cruel way.

She didn't comment on what she'd seen though Koharu felt Kaname's gaze on her as she licked his blood from her lips and blinked away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

The female Pureblood wondered why he'd let her see that memory. She was pretty sure that Kaname was able to control what she would see through his blood.

She pondered about it for a moment before coming to a conclusion. Koharu was sitting next to Kaname on a sofa, but before they both got up, she did something that came as a surprise to Kaname.

She gave him a hug.

"You're not alone, Kaname-onii-sama." The reborn woman couldn't help but sympathise with him and his feelings, even if it might be foolish of her.

Koharu wasn't made out of stone and Kaname _was_ her relative.

It was silent for a moment, but then Kaname put his arms around her and stroked over her long, open hair with one hand.

"Are you not going to ask me about what you saw in my memories, Koharu?"

This question didn't surprise her. He'd shown her his memories for a reason, after all. "...I'd rather not talk about that monster." Or what he did to Koharu's real cousin.

"Did it scare you?"

Did Kaname think she was talking about him? Koharu held onto the Ancestor a little tighter. He wasn't a monster just yet.

"Yes... I know that he is mad, but how could he kill a baby?" she whispered. "How can anyone do that?"

The other Pureblood didn't respond right away. "That was what scared you?"

"Isn't a complete disregard for life like that the most horrifying thing there is?"

Kaname drew back from her, so he could look her in the eye while cupping her cheek. The action was unexpectedly affectionate but not completely unwelcome. His hand was warm as he used his thumb to remove the few tears that trailed down Koharu's cheeks.

"You have truly surprised me since coming with me, Koharu. If I didn't know who sired you, I would have never guessed that you are the offspring of that beast."

"Thank you. I consider that the highest compliment I can get," she told him, being entirely serious. It was a relief that she didn't resemble Ridō in any way that mattered.

"Are you not going to ask me what exactly you saw in my memories, or who I really am?" Kaname asked.

"You're still the same morning grouch, who has an obsession with chess and a horrible taste in literature, that I've come to know over the past two months, aren't you?" she replied calmly but in a teasing tone, having no need to hear his explanation.

"I see... What a strange child you are." Kaname's lips twitched though he appeared to be mildly disgruntled about her description of him.

"Besides, I doubt that you would give me a straight answer. You love your secrets," Koharu added with a shrewd look at the Ancestor.

This time he gave her a small smile and let his hand sink to his lap. "As do you. Don't think I haven't noticed you leaving the Ichijō estate by yourself while a shadow puppet was taking your place," he said lowly. "Why do you practice fighting?"

"To be able to defend myself against that monster when he... comes for me again," Koharu didn't bother denying it, she was aware that Kaname had sometimes watched her training. "I can't count on someone else to protect me."

He eyed her with an unreadable expression as he played with a strand of her hair. "I could teach you how to fight if that's what you want."

"I want anything _but_ to fight, Kaname, but if that is what it takes to stop Ridō, then I will." She hoped that Kaname would get the hint and would use her instead of further manipulating the Kiryū twins and Shizuka.

Koharu needed to learn how to fight and defend herself one way or another anyway. She could kill two birds with one stone like this.

While Koharu felt sickened at the thought of having to fight or kill someone, she doubted that she could just leave Shizuka be, too. She couldn't influence what the older Hiō was going to do, but Koharu was already searching for the Kiryū twins herself to keep an eye out for them.

Koharu wasn't sure yet what exactly she should do about the future Hunters and her mother and would decide what to do with them once she'd found them. Her familiars were constantly looking for Shizuka and the twins around town parks with cherry trees.

"Once you are able to leave the estate again, I will show you how Purebloods fight," Kaname declared, just like she hoped he would when she hinted at needing to fight her father.

Seeing that this was coming from Kaname, Koharu knew that the training would be no cakewalk, but afterwards she would hopefully know what she was doing and was prepared for the future.

No matter what course it would take.

* * *

In the following week Takuma was on a business trip with Ichiō, and Koharu suspected that it was a measure to purposefully keep Takuma away from her. The young Aristocrat felt very apologetic about it but couldn't defy his grandfather.

Kaname and her personal maid Honda-san helped her out during that time and provided Koharu with their blood twice or trice a night. She noticed that her vampire instincts always became stronger after sundown. That first morning had been an exception.

Honda-san's blood was okay but she was a Level C vampire, so it paled in comparison to Kaname's or Takuma's. Koharu ended up drinking more of Kaname's blood because the thirst and impulse to drink blood acted up when he was around more often than not.

Koharu felt apologetic for taking the Kuran ancestor's blood almost all them time and for making him unable to leave her side to see Yūki, so she let the servants prepare another picnic for the two of them under the blooming cherry tree.

This time Koharu performed the tea ceremony for Kaname.

While Takuma was gone, she also bribed the other Pureblood into joining her morning walks in the sun underneath her parasol once or twice and helping her with her gardening by promising not to hide his novels for a few days if he joined her.

The gardening was a new experience for him, too, because the flowers wouldn't wilt like they'd usually do when he touched them due to Koharu's power over them.

Kaname seemed intrigued by it. Koharu guessed that after living for several thousand years it was hard to find something you'd never done or experienced before.

They spent more time than ever in each other's company due to Takuma's absence and Koharu's dependency on the other Level A's blood. Koharu also played the flute for Kaname on occasion after he'd once asked her if she would play for him when he seemed to be a little stressed out about something.

Maybe it were the effects of Yūki withdrawal.

Koharu tried to cheer her cousin up and keep him from dwelling on depressing thoughts for too long as best as she could without being overbearing.

Of course, Kaname was aware of what she was doing, even though he didn't openly voice it. He probably thought it was her way of thanking him for helping her and providing her with blood. Or simply a way to cheer him up after what his blood had told Koharu.

He was right in both cases. She also felt bad for manipulating him into teaching her how to fight.

Despite of getting to know him more, Koharu still didn't trust Kaname and remained wary of his motives. She also missed Takuma a lot more than she'd expected and was excited when he returned with a suitcase full of new manga for them.

It didn't escape her notice how Ichiō was watching the two of them with a calculating gleam in his eyes when Koharu welcomed Takuma back with a fond smile, uncaring about their audience.

* * *

It took Koharu a whole month to get over the impulse period and become a proper Level A vampire. The Pureblood couldn't say how relieved she was once she had finally gained control over her impulse to bite someone and drink their blood when she was thirsty.

Koharu had also gotten used to the blood-drinking and the ever-present fangs in her mouth. Luckily, they weren't always as long as when she was about to suck blood and pierce through skin, but they were longer and pointier than the canine teeth she'd possessed before her vampire instincts awoke.

Now that she had the thirst under control, she could also consume blood tablets like Takuma and Kaname. Koharu was in high spirits when she drank her first glass of the water-tablet-mixture together with the two of them at breakfast.

She was severely disappointed when the bland liquid met her tongue. "..."

Koharu was supposed to drink _this_ all the time from now on?

Sure, it seemed to quench her thirst well enough but it was so _tasteless_. Koharu had never thought that she would ever prefer drinking blood over consuming the tablets.

Maybe she was already a spoiled brat.

"It takes some getting used to." Takuma interpreted her unimpressed stare at her empty glass right. "You don't have to force yourself to take the tablets, Koharu-chan. If you want to, you can continue drinking my blood," he proposed a little shyly because Kaname was in the room with them this time.

Wow, she _really_ felt like a spoiled brat now. "Thank you for your offer, Takuma-kun. I do appreciate it and will keep it in mind, but I think I'll try to get used to the tablets first."

"Oh, of course."

Was it just her or did the blond Aristocrat seem a little disappointed?

Kaname didn't say a word but seemed to approve of Koharu's choice. Not that she needed or wanted his approval.

* * *

"Show me what you can do, Koharu," Kaname instructed her.

They were at Koharu's usual training place and were facing each other.

She was quite nervous and hoped that she wasn't making the biggest mistake of her life by revealing what she was capable of.

Well... Koharu didn't have to show Kaname absolutely everything she could do, did she now?

The ground underneath their feet began to rumble and shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the vampy stuff and the Koharu/Takuma/Kaname fluff! More canon characters will appear in the next chapter~! Guess who?  
> Let me know whether you liked the chapter (and story) by leaving kudos and/or a comment ♥


	6. Unexpected Guests

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me forever to write, but it's finally done! I hope you enjoy!

Clad in an elegant, pale blue kimono with a silver obi and her hair partially pinned up with silver flower hair pins, Koharu knocked on Takuma's door. The young Aristocrat opened it while he was still in the process of binding his cravat and blinked in question at her as she held up a flat, yet quite sizeable present and a small bouquet of blue irises that she'd grown in secret.

“Huh?”

“Happy Birthday, Takuma-kun!” Koharu congratulated him with a smile.

“These are... for me?” Takuma asked her as he took the offered presents from her, apparently not having expected to get a gift from her.

“Of course,” she replied happily.

He eyed the flowers as if he expected them to wither any second and seemed surprised when they didn't. Takuma didn't know about Koharu and Kaname's gardening sessions and that the magic she channelled into her flowers made them able to withstand being touched by vampires other than herself.

When nothing happened to the irises, Takuma smiled. “This is the first time that someone gifted me flowers... They're beautiful. What do they mean?”

“I'm glad you like them. Blue irises are a symbol of hope, faith and glad tidings...” Koharu hesitated before continuing a little more shyly, “I thought they suited you and our relationship.”

The Aristocrat's expression was warm and there was a faint blush on his cheeks as he replied, “Thank you. I'm going to cherish them!”

Then, Takuma opened the other gift. It was a coloured drawing of his favourite manga character, a detective from a mystery series. Takuma was filthy rich, so there wouldn't have been a point in buying him a present, which was why Koharu had made his gifts herself.

It had taken her five tries before she was satisfied with the drawing. The character looked a little more realistic than he did in the manga because Koharu was better at drawing real people, but she hoped that Takuma would still like it.

He had once told her that he'd like to see what it would look like if she drew a manga character when he caught her drawing a person she'd seen through the eyes of her familiar. That was how she got the idea for his birthday present.

The young Aristocrat stared at the picture and took in all the details without saying anything, which made her twirl one of her lose hair strands nervously around her finger. Did he not like it?

Koharu didn't have to stay anxious for long. Takuma suddenly engulfed her in an exuberant hug though he was mindful of the drawing and the flowers. She knew that he could be quite touchy-feely, at least, he was around Kaname, but the teen vampire was usually a little more reserved around Koharu, however, so it came as a surprise.

Nonetheless, she let it happen because she really didn't mind the hug from him. Hugs were nice.

When Takuma finally let go of her, he gave her one of those bright, sunny smiles, that Koharu liked and that made his green eyes sparkle. “Thank you for the drawing, Koharu-chan! I love it! Your Detective Yakumo looks amazing! Ah, I'm going to frame this and hang it up next to my collection~!”

“You're welcome,” she replied, feeling a little bashful but also very happy that he liked both of his gifts.

' _If only things could stay peaceful like this forever_ ,' Koharu thought. But it was time to be introduced to vampire society.

* * *

Takuma couldn't help but worry and glanced in Koharu's direction for the umpteenth time in the past two hours, almost forgetting to pay attention to the Senate member that was currently congratulating him. His birthday party was the first soiree Koharu attended after all, and he'd heard the nasty things some of the guest were whispering about her and her parents behind her back.

At first, Kaname had been at her side, but they'd separated at some point when people began to wonder if the two Purebloods were engaged to each other. The two had seemed so far away, so distant and untouchable when they descended the stairs together, and Takuma didn't like that at all. But he knew that there would always be a distance, a barrier between him and them, no matter how much he liked them, because they were Purebloods that lived forever and he was just an Aristocrat.

Still, he couldn't help but be drawn to them like a moth to a flame, want to know more about them and... be a _tiny_ bit possessive about them. Kaname and Koharu were his friends and the people he cared about most in his life apart from his own family.

He hadn't known Koharu for as long as Kaname, but they were already rather close since they had similar interests and got along well. Takuma genuinely liked her even though he'd been a little wary of her at first because of who her parents were. She'd even begun to open up to him, which showed her growing trust in him – as did the flowers he'd received as a gift from her earlier – and he was really happy about that.

The drawing had been a pleasant surprise as well. Koharu's gifts were also of her own making instead of bought, which made them even more special in his eyes. Not only the flowers she'd grown herself conveyed a message, the motive she'd chosen for the drawing and that she'd taken her time to grow the flowers and draw the picture conveyed one, too.

The fact that she remembered which manga character was Takuma's favourite one told him how much attention she paid to him and his ramblings and that she cared about what he thought and liked. The fact that the gifts were of her own making showed that he was important enough to her to make her sacrifice her time. No one had ever shown an honest interest in him and his hobbies, not like Koharu did.

Takuma felt as if she saw _him_ and not the heir of the Senate's leader and the Ichijō Group. In addition to feeling overjoyed, Takuma's heart beat a little faster at that thought. He was really bonding with Koharu.

She'd even accepted his blood when he offered it to her. To be honest, he was a little disappointed that she'd stopped drinking his blood though he could understand why she did it after the conversations he had with her. For a vampire Koharu was oddly reluctant to accept her nature.

Since he considered himself Koharu's friend, he didn't like the thought that someone might try to ingratiate themselves with Koharu and try to take advantage of her. True, his grandfather had asked Takuma to befriend Koharu and to spy on her the day she was invited to live with them, but he befriended her because it was his _own_ desire to get to know her and not because he was ordered to.

He wouldn't betray her trust and tell someone the things she'd confided to him. Takuma wanted to become someone irreplaceable to Koharu... and to Kaname for that matter. He wanted to become an indelible presence in the hearts of the two Purebloods, the beings that were revered and feared by all vampires and lived forever.

Yes, it was a rather selfish wish, but he would never try to take advantage of them in any other way, unlike other vampires.

“You worry too much, Ichijō. Koharu is tougher than she seems,” Kaname said from right next to him, where he had suddenly appeared after the other guest had left.

Takuma gave him a sheepish smile. “Am I that transparent?”

Kaname smiled slightly behind his glass of punch.

The young Level B let out a small sigh. “I can't help it. Koharu-chan has never been around so many vampires with their own political agendas before. What if someone approaches her with ill intentions and tries to take advantage of her? And the things that are being said about her...”

Koharu might have learned about vampire society and politics in their lessons, but she'd never interacted with more than a handful of vampires in her entire life. And that worried him because of his own experiences.

Her composed facade masked Koharu's soft heart and rather idealistic views. She could even be considered naïve if it weren't for the more calculative side of hers that he occasionally got a small glimpse of.

“I have given her a thorough lecture on what to expect tonight before the party, so she is prepared. It was also her own suggestion that we go separate ways. Koharu didn't seem to like that people assumed that she is my fiancé,” Kaname informed him, a hint of amusement reflected in his voice.

Technically, Kaname was the perfect choice for her since they were both Purebloods of Kuran blood, but Takuma knew that there was another girl his friend was more interested in.

Before he could reply to Kaname, another Aristocrat approached him to congratulate him and greet the Pureblood.

Takuma recognised the man though he couldn't remember his name before he introduced himself as Shiki Sōichirō. The young vampire next to him was his great-nephew Senri, who was just slightly younger than Takuma and almost Koharu's age.

Was it just Takuma's imagination or did the expressionless, impassive young vampire resemble Koharu a little? Maybe it was because they had the exact same shade of blue eyes and a similar tranquil presence?

Senri seemed more detached than Koharu, though, but there was a possibility that he was just shy or nervous around new people and needed to be brought out of his shell. Takuma decided that he'd like to get to know the younger Aristocrat and planned to invite him over in the future.

Unlike many other young vampires who'd flattered him and tried to win his favour this evening, Senri had barely said more than a few words and looked as if he didn't want to be here. It was paradox, but that was actually a good sign – a real friendship might be possible with him.

The Ichijō family was the most influential aristocratic family in vampire society thanks to his grandfather, the leader of the Vampire Council, and Takuma would inherit that position one day. As a consequence, there were tons of people who wanted to use Takuma as a social stepping stone and tried to befriend him for that reason.

He'd learned early on how to deal with people that wanted to use him for their own gain. Takuma had many political allies but hardly any true friends. And the fact that Senri didn't even try to make a good impression or seemed particularly interested in befriending Takuma meant that he might not be interested in political schemes or in improving his standing in vampire society.

The temperature in the room began to drop a few degrees with each passing second, which caught the attention of the four of them and many more vampires nearby after some time had passed. Takuma had experienced something like this before, when Koharu was really angry, so he immediately tried to locate her.

He caught only the last parts of her conversation.

“You're quite lucky that I'm _nothing_ like my parents then, Yamamoto-san. Because if I were, you'd be nothing more than a pile of ash for what you said just now.”

Even from this distance Takuma could see the glint of cold anger in Koharu's eyes as she looked at her conversation partner, who had turned as white as a sheet of paper.

“Y-Yes, Koharu-sama. Please forgive me for my thoughtless comment,” the man stuttered and bowed to her after overcoming his initial shock.

Whatever the Aristocrat had said to her must have infuriated her. Koharu was rarely this disgruntled but whenever she was, it was quite scary – she resembled Kaname in that aspect. The two of them were more alike than they thought.

Takuma wasn't surprised that she'd reacted in some way, though. It'd been only a matter of time with the unsavoury things that were being whispered about her and her parents behind her back. He'd just expected that she would ignore it and remain calm and composed until they were alone again and she could tell Takuma and Kaname how she really felt about what had been said.

The Level A walked away without another word, the crowd parting for her as she made her way to Takuma and Kaname, her face an expressionless mask.

Takuma hoped that his surprise would cheer her up. Until then he'd take her mind off things. He wanted her first soiree, his birthday of all things, to end on a positive note.

* * *

Koharu had tried. She'd really tried to socialize and not to get riled up by insulting remarks or gloating looks. She even introduced herself as Hiō, like planned, and denied any engagement rumours that came up as soon as she entered the room next to Kaname.

But after more than two hours of boring, at times disturbing, small-talk, testing the waters with her conversation partners, swallowing nicely worded insults and enduring bootlicking, she finally snapped.

More than a dozen Aristocrats had brought up her parents this evening, compared Koharu to them, as well as implied that she should better be caged again lest she ended up like Ridō or followed up in her ancestors' footsteps.

Kaname had warned her beforehand that the Aristocrats would gossip about her and her parents, try to ingratiate themselves with her, try to hurt her and amuse themselves by watching her – a young Pureblood, who didn't know much about interacting with vampire society – feel shaken.

Koharu had been fine the first few times she was hurt or insulted by an Aristocrat's remark – the rumours about her conception were the worst because she was pretty certain that they were true – but quickly grew tired of it. She'd thought she had more self-control than this, but apparently that wasn't the case for extended periods of time. She was a little annoyed with herself that she'd shown her anger.

Was it wrong that a part of her felt pleased when she sensed the fear of her conversation partner and the Aristocrats close by? She'd rather have them fear her than laugh at her or insult her.

_'Is this how it begins?'_ Koharu wondered as she reflected on her feelings about this matter.

She knew that vampire society was built on a balance of powers. Purebloods could control any other vampire at wish, which was the only reason why most vampires _appeared_ to respect and obey them when they were actually waiting for their chance to strike out at them.

Vampires were predators after all. In the eyes of the vast majority of vampire society Purebloods were the most coveted prey that existed, their blood being more desirable than the blood of a human child, or even the blood of a beloved person.

In conclusion, finding allies for her plans was going to be even more troublesome than she'd thought it would be. Despite people like Yamamoto-san, however, she _did_ have a few good talks this evening, mostly with the younger guests – some of them Takuma's friends – that were more in her age range, but they all were related to the elders of the Vampire Council and seemed to have their own agendas.

So far she hadn't encountered anyone from the known members of the future Night Class, which made sense since many of them were from families who didn't support the Vampire Council and wanted the Pureblood Monarchy under the rule of the Kuran family back. Maybe Ichiō had purposely not invited them.

_'Vampire politics and social networking are exhausting,'_ Koharu thought to herself.

She wanted nothing more than to return to her room or sit in her favourite sakura tree and play a tune on her shinobue to relax. But retreating alone to her room or going outside would be like admitting her defeat, so she decided to spend the rest of the evening at Takuma and Kaname's side before she accidentally ruined her friend's birthday party.

Koharu stopped in her tracks when she discovered who was standing next to them. The young, red-haired Aristocrat had been hidden from her sight by the older vampire beside him, so she only spotted him now. She tried not to stare when eyes almost identical to hers met hers, but she had the feeling that she wasn't very successful.

“Ah, Koharu-sama, it is a pleasure to meet you,” the older Aristocrat said and she forced herself to look at him. “I'm Shiki Sōichirō and this is my great-nephew Senri. I brought him with me today because I thought this would be a good opportunity for him to make new friends. He's such a shy boy, you see. I hope that you can look after him in the future.”

Koharu hadn't expected to come face to face with her half-brother so soon, wasn't even sure that he would exist in this world because of her being here. She was relieved that Senri existed, though.

He appeared to be about a year younger than her, around twelve or thirteen, and looked adorable in his dark blue suit. She didn't like the emotions she could sense from him, though. Senri's expression was impassive but she could sense his fear and unease.

Great, just great. With her stunt just know she'd probably scared her only(?) sibling in this world on their first meeting. Or maybe he was scared of her Pureblood presence that had only grown stronger since her vampire instincts awoke.

Koharu's parents were both dangerous and powerful Purebloods and she had inherited their strength. Her presence unfortunately reflected that growing power. According to Takuma, Kaname's presence felt more intimidating than hers though since it didn't radiate the same calmness, and occasionally warmth, as hers.

Now that she watched him more closely, she noticed that Senri gave Kaname the same wary look as her. It might not be just Koharu, then. Perhaps the boy was wary of Purebloods in general – maybe he'd never met one before today.

Koharu reined a little more of her presence in but not enough to hide it entirely. Hopefully, this would make her sibling feel more comfortable around her.

She wondered why his great-uncle truly introduced Senri to them today. Koharu doubted that it was for the boy's benefit, since he only saw him as a means to an end, a vessel for his deranged father, in the story.

What could be Shiki Sōichirō's true agenda?

“I see. That was very thoughtful of you, Shiki-san,” Koharu replied since the head of the Shiki family had addressed her.

The Aristocrat gave her a smile in return, but she turned to Senri. “Then we should get to know each other, isn't that right, Kaname-onii-sama, Takuma-kun?”

“Of course!” Takuma was already on board with her suggestion. “Maybe we could play a game together?”

Koharu wondered whether Takuma was tired of his guests, too, and wanted an excuse to escape, or whether he genuinely wanted to get to know Senri. It was hard to tell with him sometimes.

Kaname seemed to be curious about Senri, but didn't say anything. Maybe he saw his resemblance to his father. Koharu was pretty sure that he didn't know who Senri's father was in the story, but such small details escaped her sometimes and she could be wrong.

“That sounds great. What do you say, Senri-kun?” Koharu asked the quiet boy.

Senri shot his great-uncle another look before he gave her a nod. He was tense as he followed the three of them to a room adjoined to the ballroom. Takuma asked him about his favourite games and his likes to distract the boy.

“I like rakugo and sleeping...” Senri answered.

Koharu liked to sleep, too, but... who didn't?

Takuma smiled brightly at the other Aristocrat's answer. “Really? I'm a huge fan of rakugo, too! I've even practised some performances that my father showed me. If you want, I can show them to you in the future.”

In Koharu's opinion Takuma's rakugo performances were amazing. Rakugo was a form of verbal entertainment, where a storyteller sat on a raised platform in seiza position and depicted a comical story that always involved dialogues between two or more characters. The young Aristocrat was very good at changing his voice and depicting the differences of the characters only with a paper fan, small cloth and change in pitch and tone.

He always wore a kimono and hakama when he performed rakugo. Koharu thought Takuma looked even more elegant in traditional clothes, they really suited him. Maybe she was a bit biased because she liked kimono so much.

Senri nodded. “Your father... Is he an entertainer?” he asked Takuma.

“He is an actor, actually. Maybe you've seen him perform at the theatre or on TV before.”

“...My mother was an actress in the past, too.”

“What a coincidence!” Takuma gestured for his guest to sit down on one of the sofas before he searched for a card game in one of the cabinets.

Senri took a seat but immediately went rigid when Koharu sat down next to him, though he tried to hide his reaction. She almost pouted at his reaction.

Was she truly this frightening? What else could she do to alleviate his fears?

In her past life she'd been really close to her younger sister Julie because they'd grown up together and told each other everything. She wanted to have a good relationship with her younger brother, too.

Well, one step at a time. First, she had to get to know him.

“What is your mother's name, Senri? Maybe I've seen her on TV before,” Koharu asked him curiously.

“Shiki Hiroko,” he answered in a monotone tone though he blinked at her.

Koharu had never heard the name before.

“I doubt that you know her, Koharu. Shiki Hiroko only ever starred in melodramas and the only things you watch are game shows, where people throw cakes in each other's faces, or cheesy romantic comedies,” Kaname pointed out.

Koharu blushed when she noticed how unimpressed her brother looked with her... or she assumed he did. His expression didn't really change much.

Kaname was such an ass! Why did he have to make her look like an airhead in front of Senri? She glared at the Ancestor and crossed her arms.

“At least I _have_ a sense of humour,” she shot back.

“But no taste,” Kaname retorted.

Koharu's half-brother blinked as they started to bicker about what was tasteful and what was not, looking at them as if he didn't want to get involved in their squabble.

“Ah! Found it~!” Takuma exclaimed, holding up the cards.

He restored the peace in no time as he explained the game to Senri. He seemed to relax while they were playing Old Maid and thanks to Takuma's charm, which pleased Koharu.

After a while, they were interrupted by a servant who approached Takuma. “Young master, the special guests have arrived.”

' _Special guests?_ ' Koharu's curiosity was piqued.

Takuma thanked the Level C with a smile and got up from his seat. “I'll be back soon. Don't scare Shiki-kun too much while I'm gone~!” he said before he left the room.

Oh, she wouldn't meet those special guests, then. How disappointing.

“You heard that, Onii-sama?” Koharu asked the Kuran ancestor and played a card.

“I'm not the one who threatened and scared some of the Aristocrats less than an hour ago,” Kaname said without looking up from his cards.

Koharu let out a heavy sigh – she was still disappointed with herself for doing that – since she had no retort to that and flopped down on the sofa, using the armrest of the sofa as a headrest though she tucked up her legs, so she wouldn't bother Senri with them.

This earned her a curious look from her brother.

“Talking with people is exhausting,” Koharu explained, still holding her cards in her lying position, and drew one of Kaname's cards with her telekinetic powers because she didn't want to get up again.

Senri actually hummed in agreement with her statement and adopted a more comfortable sitting position as well, almost getting lost in the large pillow at his back, which made Koharu smile.

_'How adorable,'_ she thought.

Kaname lifted a brow at her lazy display of her Pureblood abilities as she let the card float towards her hand, but Koharu couldn't care less. At least Senri seemed mildly impressed with her this time.

A few minutes later Takuma returned – with three new guests in tow.

Koharu almost let go of the cards she was holding and quickly sat up when she discovered who the guests were. “Masaru-sensei...”

What was her shinobue teacher doing here? And the woman and girl next to him had to be his wife, Fumiko, and his daughter, Maria. Koharu had only seen the real versions on a picture before.

“Koharu-sama, it's been a while. I'm glad to see you again,” the Aristocrat said and smiled as she approached him and his family.

The girl that was about Koharu's physical age stepped forward and fearlessly took one of Koharu's hands before she could say anything. “Koharu-sama... finally, we are able to meet in person! I have been waiting for an opportunity like this for years. I have so much to say to you!”

“Maria-chan...” Koharu was still at a loss of words because she didn't expect to see the girl or her former teacher before the Night Class was established and was a bit overwhelmed by this pleasant surprise.

They'd exchanged letters starting from when they were about eight in vampire years. This went on for almost four years, until Masaru-sensei stopped coming to the Hiō compound.

Koharu suspected that one of the servants had noticed what they'd been doing and reported it to the Senate, that then forbade Masaru-sensei to enter the estate again. This made it very unlikely that Ichiō would invite him and his family to Takuma's birthday party.

The Pureblood darted a glance at Takuma who was standing at the side and watching them with a content smile.

Of course.

She'd told the young Aristocrat about her music teacher once. Takuma must have remembered his name and invited him and his family for Koharu's sake.

Warmth spread in her chest that mixed with her gratitude. Takuma was a really thoughtful person. She had to thank him later for this favour.

“I'm glad to see that you are well,” Koharu told the shorter girl, who had been sickly in the past but looked healthy now.

“It's only because of you that I'm able to attend a soiree like this,” Maria replied.

Her mother bowed low to Koharu with tears in her eyes and her father mirrored her, giving Koharu a watery smile.

“We'll be forever grateful to you for what you did for our daughter, Koharu-sama,” Fumiko said.

Koharu smiled awkwardly, understanding the parents' feelings though she felt a little bashful for being thanked so profusely in front of an audience. Takuma, Kaname and Senri were still in the room and watching the small spectacle after all.

“I'm happy I could help.” She truly was – no child deserved to lie sick in bed, unable to leave the house and make friends.

Koharu had the means to heal Maria's frail body, so she did. Who cared if she had to give some of her blood in order to heal her distant relative?

Since she didn't know what else to say, Koharu asked the Kurenai family about how they'd been and what they'd done in the past few years, especially Maria. Apparently, she'd been able to go outside and make some friends.

Takuma gave the four of them some privacy and rejoined the boys. At some point Masaru-sensei suggested that Maria and Koharu should join the boys and play games together, and that was what they did.

Maria, Senri and Kaname were introduced to each other and the five of them spent the rest of the evening together. Koharu asked Takuma if it was alright that he didn't return to the ballroom, but he assured her that it was fine since he'd already greeted all of his guests.

Kaname was curious how Koharu and Maria had met, so she told him that they'd exchanged letters through Maria's father. She left out the part about giving Maria her blood, though, just because she wasn't a hundred percent sure why exactly Masaru-sensei had stopped coming to the Hiō estate and it was possible that the Council only knew about the letter exchange and not the blood-giving. The Kurenai had never mentioned Koharu's blood donation in their conversation just now.

When Senri and Maria had to go and the soiree came to an end, Koharu excused herself, too, and sent her familiars after them in secret. That way she would know where the Kurenai family lived and she could secretly contact them in the future.

As for the dove she sent after her brother's limousine... She doubted that he lived at the same place where Ridō recovered from his injuries, but she wanted to keep and eye on him, just in case.

Before Koharu retired, however, she knocked on Takuma's door. When the young Level B opened the door for her, he'd already taken off his jacket and cravat.

“Koharu-chan,” he greeted her with a smile. “I thought you already went to bed.”

Koharu didn't know where to begin. “Thank you for inviting Masaru-sensei and Maria-chan, Takuma-kun. That was... really thoughtful of you.”

Somehow, she felt like that wasn't enough to convey how grateful she felt, so she put her arms around him. “I'm glad to have you as a friend.”

Takuma's surprise quickly wore off and he readily returned the hug. “And I am glad to be your friend, too, Koharu-chan. I hope you were able to enjoy the soiree at least a little bit. Don't take the things that were being said about you to heart.”

Koharu slowly stepped back to look up at the Aristocrat, giving him a small smile. “There was some substance to the rumours, but... I won't let those things define who I am. I hope you were able to enjoy your birthday, too.”

“I think I'm going to invite Shiki-kun over again.” Takuma smiled. “Would you mind if I invited Kurenai-san over, too? She seemed like a very honest and friendly girl.”

“That sounds like an excellent idea.”

She wished Takuma a good night before she returned to her room and got ready for bed. She saw through her familiars eyes how the Kurenai family car parked in front of a small villa. Now that she knew where Maria lived, she could contact her anytime she wished.

Since Maria had already drank Koharu's blood and wasn't sickly anymore, she wondered whether the family would still house Shizuka if they were asked to. As for that matter, had it ever been mentioned in the series whether Shizuka showed up there before or after she'd killed Zero and Ichiru's parents?

Koharu furrowed her brows and slipped under her covers. She hoped that her doves found the Kiryū family before Shizuka did.

While the soiree had been exhausting, Koharu was overjoyed to have met her brother and Maria, as well as seen her music teacher Masaru-sensei again. Takuma had most likely invited Masaru-sensei to his birthday because he wanted to make Koharu happy.

Takuma truly had a heart of gold.

As long as she lived Koharu would never let Shirabuki Sara use him for her nefarious plans. Nor would she let that vile beast that had sired her anywhere near her little brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked Takuma's POV and the appearance of a smol Senri and Maria!  
> Koharu will meet even more canon characters in the next chapter, so look forward to that!
> 
> Leave me a comment and/or kudos if you enjoyed this chapter and the story so far. Feedback is always appreciated and motivates me to write :D


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